Best tree service pros near Lykens, PA

The fastest ways to remove a tree stump are by grinding it or burning it.

Stump grinding is often the quickest method, with professionals able to chip away a stump and its roots within a single session. You have the option to hire a professional stump removal service or rent a stump grinder to do it yourself. However, it's important to note that these machines can be large, difficult to transport, and dangerous to operate without prior experience. For safety reasons, hiring a local arborist or landscape specialist is often recommended.

Burning is another fast option. Before you begin, check your local burn laws. The process involves drilling holes into the stump, filling them with vegetable oil, and waiting 24 to 48 hours. Afterward, you can add charcoal bricks to the surface and light the fire, which must be attended at all times.

For a more affordable but much slower alternative, you can use potassium nitrate pellets to accelerate the natural decomposition process. This method typically takes four to six months.

Unfortunately, palm tree stumps are one of the most difficult types to remove due to how their roots grow. Unlike other trees, palm tree roots grow horizontally and vertically. Palm tree roots grow as deep as three feet into the ground, although soil and growing conditions could mean they go as far as 50 inches into the earth. 

If you want to be able to repurpose the grass in the area where you removed a stump later, you’ll have to dig quite deep—and perhaps wide—to trim away all the roots.

No. Most of the time, suckers are only a sign that the tree is experiencing stress. However, they can also be the canary in the coal mine, letting you know that something else is stressing your tree. If you have lots of suckers on your tree, calling in an arborist or a tree care expert is always a good call to determine the cause and develop a solution that de-stresses your tree.

If it’s only a smaller branch that has died and you’re keeping an eye on the tree, it’s probably nothing to worry about. But if other nearby branches start dying off as well, or a very large branch dies, then you likely have a bigger problem. It’s time to watch for diseases and other problems and possibly get professional guidance on how to proceed.