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Whether it's better to grind or remove a stump depends on your professional tree service’s advice and what you intend for the landscape to look like after removal. Grinding is faster and likely more affordable, but manual removal unearths the root system and leaves the potential for a clean slate for landscape design. 

It can be bad to leave a dead stump in the ground. A stump becomes a hefty piece of dead wood in time and eventually (especially with the help of rain) starts to rot. That makes it a locus point for diseases and pesky insects, as well as a bit of an eyesore. It’s best to remove a tree stump completely before it starts to decay, especially before it starts to fall apart. If the tree was removed because of disease, it’s even more important to fully remove the stump if possible.

Most chemical treatments that kill roots will also damage the grass around it—including more natural substances like Epsom salt. In this case, cutting tree roots is probably your best bet if you want to preserve the grass. Use caution before you cut or prune roots to make sure you know what you’re cutting and know the risks if you make an error. 

Whether you should remove the roots of a dead tree depends on whether they’re damaging nearby areas. For instance, if the roots continue to grow near sidewalks, driveways, or the foundation of your home, they can cause damage. If you want to plant something else in that spot, removing the roots can make it easier for the new tree or plant to grow.