What To Do When a Tree is Removed

This time of year, many homeowners and county forestry departments move quickly to remove dead, dying, and diseased trees. Years ago it was common practice to pull stumps, but now grinding is a more popular strategy.

Grinding is nice because the stump is gone and the surrounding area goes unscathed for the most part. The only problem is that if the stump is not fully removed, there can be a lot of dead wood left in the ground. As it decays, microbes in the soil will multiply rapidly to feed on the decaying matter. This increase in microbes causes more and more nitrogen to be used up, temporarily depriving grass and other plants of the nutrients they need. Keep an eye on this and fertilize if need be.

If a stump is not ground out deeply enough, you can hasten the decomposition process by removing as much of the bark, grindings, and sawdust as possible. You can also try adding additional nitrogen to the area, which will help speed up decomposition and reduce the amount of yellowing and stunted growth on surrounding plants. Even with added nitrogen, though, it is unlikely that grass will grow well in that spot for several years.