Before you have a tree removal specialist cut down the dead tree in your yard, you'll need to decide whether the worker should remove the tree stump as well. If you're having a hard time making this judgment call, consider these factors when deciding what to do with the stump.
*by Christine DiMaria, Angie's List Contributor
- Stumps aren't pretty. Aesthetically speaking, the sight of a stump definitely isn't appealing. If you're meticulous about your yard and landscaping, removing the stump is well worth it.
- Stumps are hazardous. Stumps are dangerous to your children. When running and playing in your yard, they may not look for the stump and trip over it. And if a neighbor trips, it's a liability that falls into your hands. In addition, tree stumps can damage your mower if you accidentally hit one when you're mowing your lawn.
- Stumps cause new tree growth. Sometimes leaving the stump behind contributes to new sprouts, which can result in many small trees growing around the stump. This is unsightly to your landscaping and quite costly to try to remove because the new shoots may keep coming back, and you may need chemicals to kill them off completely. These small trees also leech nutrients from other plants located near them, so your begonias may not receive all the nutrients they need.
- Stumps are a pain to maneuver around. Remaining tree stumps become a nuisance, an obstacle you have to maneuver around when weeding or mowing your lawn.
- Stumps attract insects. When you leave stumps in your lawn, the decaying tree takes a long time to rot away completely. While it's decaying, the stump attracts beetles, termites, ants and other wood-boring pests. You may not mind them in your yard, but they can eventually spread to your home.
- Stumps take up precious yard space. Especially if you don't have a very large yard, the space you lose from the stump and roots may occupy a lot of space. Just think: You can use that space for a flowerbed or a picnic table.
*by Christine DiMaria, Angie's List Contributor