Question 1

What should I do when I see lightning strike one of my trees?

Accepted Answer

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Stay inside or well away until the storm passes. Don’t go outside to inspect the tree until the weather clears, especially if the tree is on a hill or isolated in a field. Lightning often strikes the same easily-accessed places multiple times, and you could be a new target. If a lightning strike causes a noticeable fire, alert emergency services. When the storm is over, take a closer look to gauge the damage done.

Question 2

Are palm tree stumps hard to remove?

Accepted Answer

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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.

Question 3

Do I have to grind an old tree stump?

Accepted Answer

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We recommend removing the stump, and grinding is a popular way to do it. You can also dig out small stumps or stumps that have fully decayed instead of grinding them. However, don’t try using acids or fire for killing a tree stump, which is a fire hazard and illegal in many areas.

Leaving the stump alone invites eventual problems, including attracting termites, mold, and fungi.

Question 4

Can a tree fall if you cut the roots?

Accepted Answer

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In extreme cases, cutting a tree’s roots can cause it to eventually fall if the roots that were trimmed affect the tree’s structure and stability. If you make severe cuts to roots that are more than 2 inches in diameter, you run the risk of affecting the tree’s water flow as well as its ability to withstand severe winds or storms that could cause it to fall.