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While you can leave roots in the ground, if you don’t want the shrub to regrow again over time, it’s best not to leave any roots behind. Ensure you remove as much of the shrub as possible, including the root ball and any main roots you can see, to prevent new growth. Some gardeners opt for using a chemical treatment to prevent the stump from growing back, but this can kill beneficial microorganisms living in your soil.

You can choose between weekly leaf removal services throughout the fall or a single cleanup at the end of the season. If you want to maintain a pristine lawn, weekly service is a good idea to keep up with falling leaves. Alternatively, if you prioritize saving money, you can wait until all or most of the trees on your property are bare and pay for a one-time service. In most areas, this is typically in early to mid-November. While a single service is more budget-friendly, your yard will not remain leaf-free for the entire season.

DIY is possible for small amounts of waste. Professional services handle larger volumes efficiently.

The most common alternative is burning the stump first, then dealing with the cinders and ashes. As you can imagine, this option creates fire hazards, especially since roots can burn underground, hidden, for long afterward. That’s why many states and cities have outlawed the use of stump burning entirely. We do not recommend this option as a viable alternative unless you get a permit from the local fire department and practice all safe burning procedures.

Others prefer a more long-term DIY approach of degrading the stump with home mixtures like Epsom salt and vinegar injected directly into it. This may help the stump decay faster, allowing homeowners to dig it out themselves, but it’s still a lengthy process. It usually takes months for a stump to start falling apart with such treatments, and in the meantime, it can be vulnerable to rot, insects, and other problems.