Stump Grinding in Edmond, OK

Stump grinding in Edmond is more than tidying up. A stump left behind is a mower hazard and a trip hazard, and for some trees it keeps the problem going. Bradford pear stumps send up sprouts unless the stump is ground or treated, and OSU Extension advises removing or grinding pine wilt stumps and burying the grindings at least 6 inches deep so the beetles that spread the disease have nowhere to breed. A grinder cuts the stump into chips with a spinning toothed wheel, working down below the soil line so the spot can be filled, seeded or replanted.

How deep we go

For lawn, we usually grind several inches below grade, enough for topsoil and sod or seed. If you plan to plant a new tree in the same spot, deeper grinding and removing the chips makes room for fresh soil; planting slightly off the old stump is often easier. Big surface roots that run across the lawn can be ground out along their length as a separate line on the quote.

Utility lines underground

Oklahoma law requires a locate request before digging, and a stump grinder digs. Before grinding, utilities are marked through OKIE811, the state's one-call center, by calling 811. Gas, electric, water and cable lines often run along the same side yards and front strips where stumps sit. Irrigation lines and invisible pet fences are not marked by 811, so tell us where yours run.

Getting the grinder in

Most Edmond backyards sit behind a privacy fence with a gate. Smaller grinders fit through a standard gate, and larger ones work faster on big oak and pecan stumps when there is room. We measure gate widths on the estimate visit, and if a fence panel needs to come off, we say so in writing first.

What happens to the chips

Grinding a large stump makes a surprising pile of chips mixed with soil. You can keep them for the hole or for mulching beds, or we can haul them off and leave the hole ready for topsoil. Chips from pine wilt trees should be buried or removed rather than spread around other pines.

Old stumps and new ones

Fresh stumps grind more slowly than old, softened ones, but waiting does not help with pears, which keep sprouting, or with diseased pines. Stumps in the right-of-way strip near the curb are the adjoining owner's responsibility in Edmond, so those are ground just like a backyard stump once utilities are marked.