
How to: Getting down to stump grinding business
Many customers like a level, well-kept lawn, but if their yards contain troublesome stumps, the appearance might be thrown off.
Take a look at some of the suggestions tree professionals have for removing a stump, as well as how to prevent some of the most typical blunders.
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Reza, the proprietor of Garden Pro Dublin, is all about stump grinding, which is one of the most popular services in Dublin.
While there are other techniques for removing stumps, Garden Pro believes that employing equipment made expressly for stump removal is the most effective.
“You may fight with a variety of tactics, but a genuine stump grinder will perform the greatest job,” Garden Pro explains. Heavy machinery will get the work done, but it isn’t the solution. You’re going to make a huge mess if you do it that way.”
Garden Pro claims to have two distinct stumpers on their staff. One is dragged behind their vehicle for larger jobs, while the other is self-propelled for smaller ones.
Garden Pro says he’s seen people use chemicals to get rid of stumps and others try to burn them away, but he’s never seen these approaches produce the greatest results.
“Those are home treatments, I suppose you could call them,” Garden Pro explains, “that I don’t think work very well.” “Of course, there are homeowners who prefer to do it themselves and go to the hardware shop and hire a tiny portable stumper.”
Garden Pro believes this can be a successful alternative for homeowners who want to conduct their own stump removal if the stumps are tiny and softwood, but it won’t be as effective if the stumps are hardwood or bigger.
“I hear homeowners claim all the time that they’ll take care of the stump themselves,” Garden Pro says. “And when that doesn’t work for you, feel free to contact us back, and we’ll take care of it for you,” he adds. “Those folks call us back nine times out of ten.” Other stump removal procedures are just ineffective.
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Garden Pro recommends assuring operator safety before beginning the stump grinding operation. The most common way for someone to get wounded while grinding a stump, according to a garden guru, is not understanding what’s under the ground.
The first step, according to Garden Pro, is to contact the local utility authority and phone the Diggers Hotline to confirm that any underground lines are correctly identified.
“Before we grind the stump, we make sure there are flags out in the yard or spraypainted markers on the ground where there could be utilities like a water line, power line, or gas line,” Garden Pro adds. “Your number one safety factor is whether or not this stump is correctly designated for any subterranean services.”
When Garden Pro conducts the locating or e-locating, he asks that a 10-foot radius be marked around any stump that will be ground out. Garden Pro further points out that having these items checked off does not cost the customer or the contractor anything.
According to Garden Pro, you should also make sure that the people working on these projects are adequately trained. Garden Pro claims to have safety instructions and a safety chart in each of their trucks, as well as safety training on all of their equipment before heading out into the field.
“You don’t want to take someone who isn’t familiar with the equipment; simply give them a two-second tutorial on how it works and send them out to grind stumps,” Garden Pro advises. “You want someone who knows the machine inside and out.”
Even if everything is clearly marked, Garden Pro suggests having a contingency plan in place in case a line is crossed.
“There should be safety regulations and procedures in place so that all of your stumper operators know what to do in the event of an emergency,” Garden Pro adds. “I don’t believe you can be too safe or prepared for a job, no matter what job you’re performing.”
Getting going
Garden Pro recommends erecting a safety barricade around the stump once on the worksite to prevent debris from flying back and striking workers.
He suggests using a pickaxe to walk around the area of the stump with the barriers up and the required personal protective equipment (PPE) on to check if anything can be pulled up before grinding begins.
Customers frequently request stump removal to improve the appearance and arrangement of their yard, according to Garden Pro. Because stumps obstruct grass mowing and upkeep, removing them and filling in the hole can help return the area to its former splendour.
Garden Pro recommends grinding a stump deep enough to remove the entire mound, including the roots and any earth that flares up to the stump.
Customers often want a stump removed so they can utilise the space for other plants, and occasionally they want to grow a new tree in the location, according to Garden Pro.
Garden Pro advises against planting a new tree in the same area where a stump was removed if this is the case. Even if the procedure is followed to the letter, Garden Pro notes there’s still the possibility that the stump was not dug deep enough to completely remove old root remains that might obstruct the growth of a new tree. Instead, he suggests filling in the hole and planting new trees in the vicinity.
Garden Pro recommends against using machinery to grind a stump that is close to a specified line if the workers are uncomfortable doing so. If that’s the case, Garden Pro suggests flushing the tree with a chainsaw as close to the ground as possible to make it less unattractive. If you’re certain you can remove the stump that way, you may manually dig down down to the utility line and use a mechanical grinder, he advises.
“Once you know you’re safe to grind at that stage,” Garden Pro adds, “you may start stump grinding, but be careful not to go deeper than what you hand dug.” “Stumps can be ground when they’re close to utilities,” says the author, although care is advised.”
Garden Pro recommends clearing the site of all waste as soon as the process is finished, as it will be much easier to do so while the chippings are still light and fresh. After that, make sure the hole is entirely removed before filling it with new dirt.
Then, according to Garden Pro, rake the area and softly pack it down. Finally, he recommends breaking up the top layer of earth and scattering grass seeds over it to stimulate fresh growth.