MadCowTree Service
Why grind the stump?
- Stumps sprout. Many trees (especially silver maple, mulberry, Callery pear, tree of heaven, sweetgum and box elder) keep pushing up suckers from the stump and roots.
- They rot slowly and attract carpenter ants, termites and fungus.
- They're a trip and mower hazard, and they get in the way of a new patio, fence or garden.
Grinding vs. stump removal
Grinding chews the stump into chips with a spinning cutter wheel, usually 6 to 12 inches below the surface (deeper if you're planning to build or plant a tree in the same spot). It doesn't dig out every root, but the remaining roots rot away underground. Full stump removal digs out the root ball with a machine and leaves a big hole; it's only needed for some construction jobs. For most yards, grinding is faster, cheaper and much easier on the lawn. Read more in our post on stump removal vs. stump grinding.
What we do with the chips
Grinding leaves a pile of wood chips and soil. We can rake them back into the hole, haul them away, or leave them for you to use as mulch in beds. For grass, it's best to remove most of the chips and fill with topsoil before seeding.
Before we grind
Call JULIE (Illinois) or Missouri One Call (811) to locate buried utility lines; we confirm locates before grinding near anything buried. Let us know about irrigation lines, invisible dog fences or landscape lighting. For a free estimate on one stump or a whole yard full, send a photo with the form or call 618-CUT-WOOD (618-288-9663).
Where we do stump grinding
From our shop in Alton we cover about 30 miles on both sides of the river, including Godfrey, Edwardsville, Granite City, Collinsville, Jerseyville, St. Louis, Florissant, St. Charles and the rest of our service area.