Two Methods of Removing Tree Stumps

How to Get a Tree Stump Out

You can remove a tree stump from the ground at any time of year but now is a good a time, before the damp, autumn weather promotes the growth of fungal infections which could spread to healthy plants.

There are two principle ways to remove a wood stump: the quickest is physically removing it (either by digging or grinding it out) or you can apply chemical treatments to kill the stump, so it will eventually rot down.

We’ll look briefly at both methods on how to remove a stump and we’d recommend the RHS website for further advice.

Physical Removal

If you have a smaller tree to remove and can leave a reasonable height stump (over 1 metre), you can hire a winch to lift the stump out of the ground. Do think about the appropriate safety measures if you choose this option.

Again, smaller trees can be dug out by hand or with a mini-digger, which is likely to take a little longer but has the advantage of removing the majority of the roots too.

If you have a larger tree stump to deal with, a stump grinding machine could be a practical option. These grind down the main root plate, leaving only sawdust to be disposed of. It is worth thinking about how deep you need to grind, depending on what you intend to use the area for afterwards; if you’re turfing, you’re not likely to need to go as deep as if you’re relandscaping, for example. Either way, some smaller roots will be left in the ground but these will just rot away in time. As with any machinery, stump grinders should be used with care.

Why not find out more about our stump grinding service?

Chemical Removal

There are a number of root and stump killers on the market and we’d recommend reading the packaging carefully so you can select one that is appropriate to your circumstances.

Autumn or winter are the best times to apply treatment, rather than the spring when sap will be rising in a still-living stump.

Treatments need to be applied to freshly cut stump, where the living tissue around the edge will take it up most effectively. Once treated, it’s worth covering the stump with a plastic sheet to prevent rain washing the treatment away.

As with all chemicals, read the instructions carefully and take the appropriate precautions – such as gloves, goggles or boots – when using it. Be careful to protect other plants and animals from the chemicals.

Eco-Plugs

EcoPlugs are handy capsules that deliver a dose of tree-killing chemical in contained way. They are growing in popularity amongst tree professionals and landscapers because of their relative ease of use.

How do they work?

When a tree has just been felled, a ring of small holes is drilled around the outer, living cambian layer of the tree stump. When an EcoPlug capsule is then tapped into each hole, it bursts, delivering a dose of chemical and sealing the hole at the same time.

Different quantities of capsules will be needed depending on the species and size of the tree, but guidelines are provided. The targeted approach generally means less chemicals are required than traditional methods. They take up to 2 months to kill the tree’s root system, depending on the time of year they are applied, but the manufacturers suggest that stump decomposition time is about half what it would be.

Because the chemical is contained within the hole, when used correctly, EcoPlugs can be a much safer option for both wildlife and humans. Most EcoPlugs contain glyphosate as their active ingredient, a pesticide that has been in use for over 30 years. Glyphosate is broken down by the natural carbon dioxide, nitrate, phosphate and oxygen found in soils, helping to reduce its impact on the environment once it has done its job on the tree stump.

Of course, all power tools and chemicals should be used with the appropriate safety precautions and, if in any doubt, call a professional tree surgeon.

Why not find out more about our stump grinding service?

Make the most of the rest of the summer by letting light into outside spaces. We’ve got some tips below for thinning trees, shaping hedges and – if all else fails – what to plant in your shadiest spots!

Thinning Trees

Our first piece of advice is to think about the type of tree you want to tackle and how big a job it will be. Not all trees are suitable to be pruned and some are best left until later in the year, when they’re becoming dormant. But if you’re just intending to remove dead wood and do some light shaping, most trees will cope with a bit of a ‘hair cut’ at this time of year. (We’d recommend checking out the RHS website for some specific advice about your species of tree).

It’s also worth checking with your local authority to make sure that there are no Tree Preservation Orders (TPO) in force, particularly if you are planning drastic action.

There are several methods you can use to thin out a tree, typically:

Crown thinning – this is a general pruning, usually around the edges of the tree’s canopy, to reduce its shade density and the weight of foliage. A general thinning will improve air circulation, too, which helps to prevent fungal and pest problems.

Crown lifting – this is concentrating on the underside of the tree’s canopy, removing lower branches to allow for better access or light underneath, for example, to mow a lawn.

Pollarding/Coppicing – these are both extreme forms of pruning which take out all or part of the central trunk, either to set height (pollarding) or right to the ground (coppicing). Although they can be attractive, particularly on smaller trees, we wouldn’t recommend such drastic action at this time of year or without seeking specialist advice.

To thin a tree, concentrate on branches up to 4cm thick and look for any that are broken or crossing others. We suggest you take off a maximum of 15% of the branches. Take a step back every so often to check that you’re not getting carried away and are keeping a natural shape.

Interestingly, the RHS tree experts no longer recommend painting tree wounds with pruning or wound ‘paint’ as they appear to slow a tree’s recovery and may increase the likelihood of rotting.

Shaping Hedges

Now that young birds have left the nest, July is a good time to tidy up your hedges. Unless we get a longer, later summer, they are unlikely to put on much new growth before the winter, which saves you having to trim again. In fact, pruning a conifer hedge much later than this can encourage bare patches to develop.

With all hedges, try to make sure that the base is a little wider than the top (so the hedge is tapered; this is called a batter) so that light can reach it.

If You Have a Formal Hedge

Use a taut string tied between two stout canes to help you get a straight cut to the top of your hedge. Making a cardboard or plywood template can also help you get the shape you want.

If you’re using hand shears, keep the blades parallel to the surface of the hedge that you’re trimming in order to get a flat, even finish. If you’re using a hedge trimmer, keep the blade parallel and work upwards from the bottom, so the cut foliage will fall away.

If You Have Informal Hedges

This is more like pruning a shrub so judging by eye will usually give you a pleasing final result. In general, look for misplaced or crossing branches and cut back to a shoot or division. If your hedge has large leaves, secateurs or loppers (rather than a hedge trimmer) will help avoid ugly leaf cuts.

Planting for Shade

If you really can’t reduce the shade over your outside spaces, there are plenty of plants that will actually enjoy a shady spot.

Growing for Food

Believe it or not, lettuce, rocket, spinach and chard will all grow happily in shade. Herbs like sorrel, parsley and mint will also thrive (but avoid those Mediterranean herbs, which like to be thoroughly baked!). Other vegetables that don’t mind shade include peas and runner beans. Some fruit bushes – blackberry and gooseberry particularly – will be fine, as will fruit trees like plums, Morello cherry and cooking apples.

Growing for Beauty

Ferns are often the obvious choice for shady spots and some can cope with 100% shade and north facing spots. Hostas also work well (as long as you don’t mind a little slug damage). Astilbes and sedges will be happy with shade, as will camessias, primroses and hardy geraniums. In fact, think about the plants you see growing under trees in the wild and they will all be happy in shade.

Planting for Dry Shade

If your shady spot is under a tree, you may well find it also gets very dry. Any of the following flowering plants will be quite happy here: hellebores (Lenten Rose), astrantia, lily of the valley, ivy and Japanese anemone.

Planting for Damp Shade

If your shady is close to a pond or river, you may find the plants there always have ‘wet feet’. In which case, we’d recommend things like angelica, astilbe, solomon’s seal or bleeding hearts for flowers and, for foliage, hostas, ferns and grasses (particularly carex and deschampsia).

The Gardeners’ World website has lots more tips on planting for shade.

And finally…

At this time of year, it’s really important to make sure that any newly planted trees, hedges and shrubs don’t dry out. They often need much more water than you’d think. But, water is a precious resource so think about collecting rainwater in a butt (or even recycling your bath water!).

As with all garden activity, particularly if you’re using power tools, think safety first. Make sure you use gloves, goggles and any other appropriate protective equipment. If you’re using ladders, check they are in good repair and don’t reach too far off them. If in any doubt, call the experts.

You won’t notice your trees growing from one day to the next. On a daily basis the rate of growth is imperceptible. But every now and then you’ll get out into your garden and you’ll notice that your trees have grown bigger!

Great news as this is a sign of a healthy tree.

However, maybe your garden isn’t getting as much light as it used to? Or perhaps a large tree is starting to interfere with overhead telephone and power lines?

When a tree grows too large for the available space and starts causing safety issues or aesthetic concerns then it is time to reduce its size. And this is much easier to do sooner rather than later.

Reducing the size of a tree is usually achieved through pruning but without the right tools and experience this can be hard work. And if you wait too long there could be a lot of uncontrolled growth which could mean a large amount of pruning. This can seriously damage the health of a tree.

But it doesn’t have to be difficult if you act in a timely fashion.

Here at Climbers Way Tree Care we have both the tools and experience required to carry out pruning quickly and efficiently.

One of our favourite jobs to carry out is the crown reduction. It’s a task that requires the knowledge and skill of professionals.

Our tree surgeons will reduce the height and spread of the crown in a manner that will make you happy and keep your tree healthy.

Crown Reduction Benefits

There are many benefits to a crown reduction.

• The natural shape of the tree is preserved. Crown reductions should not be confused with the undiscerning and damaging technique known topping. The appearance of the tree is retained with a crown reduction, and even aesthetically improved, as a balanced well-structured crown is created.
• Properties and outbuildings can be given proper clearance. As a result of no branches overhanging your buildings your gutters will be less likely to clog.
• Takes stress off of over weighted lateral limbs
• Encourages healthy regrowth. Your tree will continue to look great.
• The reduction in height and spread will allow more light to pass into your garden. You will be able to enjoy more sun and your other plants will love the extra light they now get.

If you ask us to carry out a crown reduction we will first assess your tree and offer only the best advice. We will remove an array of branches, including any that are dead or diseased, in order to reduce the overall spread of the tree. We will clean up after ourselves leaving no mess.

All our jobs are carried out by fully qualified professionals who work safely and efficiently, and tidy up after themselves.

Find out more about our Crown Reduction service or contact us today for a free estimate.

The results of aerial inspection meant this tree was deemed unsafe.

Due to a potential weak point and a residential location this tree had to be removed.

In our latest video you can watch how we dismantled a very mature tree with some serious gear!

You’ll also hear a little about the origins of the company, and the services we offer.

Could your trees be dangerous in the upcoming autumn storms? Could they be putting your property at risk?

Trees are wonderful additions to our gardens and are fundamentally very strong and sturdy beings. However, in some circumstances trees can turn into hazards that should be managed proactively.

Autumn and Winter Storms

Structurally unstable or sick and damaged trees can often look perfectly healthy. It’s only when an outside force intervenes that they can fail, seemingly out of nowhere.

• High winds and autumn storms have the ability of break and topple damaged trees, sometimes catastrophically.
• Falling and breaking trees can serious damage or even destroy things around them such as cars, houses and sheds.

This autumn, we at Climbers Way Tree Care have put together a quick checklist to help you ensure your trees are strong and healthy. Strong, happy trees have little problem with storms!

5 Things to Check Your Tree For

1# Cracks

• Cracks can be caused by many things, including frost. They are often safe and can be healed by the tree.
• Larger cracks, cracks around the base and cracks on branches however, could pose a serious risk. Inspect your trees for cracks and get any checked out by a specialist to ensure they are healthy and strong.

Vertical cracks are one of the most obvious signs of damage and instability in a tree and very long and deep cracks need urgent attention by a qualified arborist.

2# Bracket Fungi

• Semi-circular fungi that appear anywhere and at any time on a tree. These cause serious heartwood decay, often even before they’re visible externally.
• Bracket-caused decay will weaken wood, causing branches to fall and, eventually, the tree to topple
• Pay special attention to Beech and Ash trees, both of which are especially susceptible to bracket fungus.

Once the brackets are visible, there is most likely already substantial decay within the tree caused by this fungus. This decay weakens the tree internally until it eventually topples.

Checking your trees for bracket fungi is a great way to pre-emptively spot weakened trees that might fall during a storm. If you find brackets, you can call a tree specialist to inspect and offer advice.

You can read more about bracket fungi on the RHS website.

3# Declining Tips or Dieback

• Dieback is the slow decline of a tree as it suffers for one reason or another. Sometimes it’s due to disease, other times it’s due to manmade issues such as concreting around the base, change in soil alkalinity or other pollution.
• Declining tips is the first sign, where the twigs or tips of the tree begin to die and disappear. The dieback will most probably progress unless the initial cause goes away. 
• Progressed dieback causes instability and the tree eventually dies completely. Tree professionals can inspect the tree to estimate the damage sustained and offer further options.

Trees must transport a vast quantity of nutrients from the ground to the highest leaves and everything in between. When the tree cannot do this, for disease or environmental reasons, it tends to shrink its size and begins dying back.

4# Weak stems (included unions)

• Where two branches come from the same fork or junction. These co-dominant branches can grow bark between them, causing serious instability.
• Weak stems and branches arise from this and the weaker of the two can fall once it gets too heavy to be supported by the poorly grown joint.

Known as a tree fork, or co-dominant stem, when these include bark they are called ‘included unions’ or ‘included bark junction’. Spotted early, when the stems are young, makes them very manageable through pruning out or shortening the weaker branch.

5# Previous damage

• Branches previously fallen off could be a sign of decay. This could suggest inherent weakness or progressive decline.
• Cuts and areas of exposed heartwood make trees very susceptible to infection from fungi like brackets. These cause decay and tree death.

Previous damage caused by outside forces can create weak spots or areas susceptible to fungal infection. Previous damage such as branches falling off can be a sign that the tree is already sick and decaying.

To fully protect your home and family, it’s a good idea to get trees that have sustained past damage looked at by a professional.

Getting your trees checked out

If you suspect that one or more of your trees might be suffering from decay, sickness or weakness, it’s best to get them checked out by a professional.

This isn’t expensive or time consuming and professionals can confirm the health of your tree. If trees are damaged but recoverable, our professionals can show you how to keep you tree healthy and take steps to manage any weak spots.

Keep your home and trees happy this autumn and winter!