What to Do after Stump Grinding
The process of stump grinding has left an unsighted hole in your lawn, and you are wondering what to do. No worries! Your lawn can look great again. It just requires a little bit of effort on your part. In this post, we are going to discuss what to do after stump grinding.
Use the Shredded Bits and Chips
After stump grinding, you will be left with a pile of wood chips. The pile will be large if the leftover roots beneath the stump are also ground to pieces. So, what should you do with the fibers and wood pieces?
The leftover chips and bits can be used for multiple purposes. Mulch can be used to deter pests on flower beds. You can use the mulch on walkways, and other surfaces.
Before you use the chips, you can keep them in a compost heap for a while. And when the fibers break down, use the compost on your potting shade, garden, and animal pastures.
Excavate and Irrigate the Spot before You Plant a New Tree There
If the spot beneath the tree stump is not properly excavated and irrigated, the area is not ready to provide nutrients to a new tree. This is because when the roots decompose, they use up vital nutrients such as nitrogen from the soil.
If the layers of the soil are tangled with old, large roots, a new tree will not be able to establish its roots in the same spot. There is another important thing to keep in mind. When you are going to plant a new tree in the same spot, make sure that the new tree is not the same species as the previous one.
And if the old tree had a disease, the young tree might be affected by the disease. Therefore, the best idea is to choose a different location for planting a new tree. The location does not have to be far away. Just make sure that the distance is at least 4 feet.
Use Fertilizers in the Spot to Make Grass Grow
Just like a new tree, grass also struggles to establish roots in the stump site. To prepare the spot for grass, you can use some fertilizers.
Follow these steps to prepare the stump site for growing grass:
- Remove all debris and sawdust
- Replace them with topsoil
- Check soil nutrient and pH levels
- Amend nutrient and pH deficiencies with grass food
The fiber beneath the stump site will help prepare the soil. However, after rain, the topsoil will settle, and you will notice a depression in the spot. To level the area, you will have to add more topsoil from time to time.
Sow Grass Seeds
Once you have filled the hole with topsoil, sow some grass seed by hand. If you are wondering what to do after stump grinding, this is probably the best way to beautify that area again.
To make sure the grass seeds are evenly distributed per square inch, disperse them evenly. For the best coverage, crisscross the area with grass seeds. Finally, rake the grass seeds into the soil and cover the area with half an inch of topsoil.
Maintain the Grass
The entire process is laborious and time-consuming, but the reward is great: lush green grass. However, taking care of the grass is also very important.
To keep the soil moist, you can spray water using a sprayer with a fine mist setting. Make sure you do not overwater. If you overwater, you will end up washing the seeds away. When the grass grows to an inch, you will not have to be very careful about watering. And when the grass grows too tall, use a lawn mower to mow the grass.
Additional Tips for Planting after Stump Removal
We have already discussed what to do after stump grinding. There are really amazing ways to redesign your lawn. Now we are going to provide some tips for planting trees after stamp removal.
Understand the Environment
If you are wondering what to do after stump grinding, it is important to understand that the soil underneath the tree stump is different from the soil in other parts of the yard or garden. And the growth of a tree is directly dependent on the quality of the soil. As we have already stated, planting a new tree in the exact same spot is not a good idea.
Here is another thing to remember. If you used salt or chemicals to remove the roots, you should avoid planting a new tree in that area altogether. Chemicals can affect the soil profoundly, and for a pretty long time.
Take your Time before You Plant a Tree in the Exact Same Spot
After stump grinding, the roots beneath will slowly decompose. The process will take some time, but rest assured that the roots will decompose. Wait for at least a year before you plant a sapling in that spot.
Although that spot takes about a year to get ready for providing nutrients to a new tree, the healing process goes on for a few years as the old roots completely decompose. Therefore, choosing an adjacent site is recommended.
If There Is No Suitable Adjacent Site
If that is the case you can prepare the old site relatively quickly, but it requires some effort. Rather than letting the wood chips and sawdust decompose naturally, remove them. Then prepare a mixture of new soil, compost, and sawdust.
Well, now you know what to do after stump grinding. You have to prepare the spot and then plant a new tree. But it is also important to be careful about selecting the species of the new tree. Choose a smaller tree. And if planting a new tree is not an option, there are still ways to beautify that spot. Some options include hedges, flowers, and grass.
Final Thoughts: What to Do after Stump Grinding
Just because you have removed a tree does not mean that the spot has to look bare and ugly. Planting a new tree is not always the best option, and it is not the only option. By being a little bit creative, you can make that area look beautiful again. We hope now you have a better idea about what to do with that bare spot.
Always have stump grinding done professionally. Contact a tree service in Danbury.