Get matched with top brush chipping pros in Crocker, MO

Wood is a very versatile material, so you can either compost it, use it for firewood, turn it into wood chips, or save it for future projects. If you don’t want excess wood cluttering your garage or workspace, you can call local community centers or schools to see if they have a need for it.

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.

No, you cannot throw branches from your neighbor’s tree back into their yard, nor can you discard leaves or other plant matter that originated from their yard back over there if it happens to land in your yard. You are responsible for cleaning up plant matter that made its way into your yard.

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.