It is early winter in Australia, and while this time of year is not normally when a lot of garden maintenance gets taken care of, it is the perfect time to get rid of dead tree stumps. As someone who has never arranged for a dead tree stump to be removed before, you are wondering what the link is between tree stumps and winter. These two points will help you to understand why you should be picking up the phone to organise this task to be done now:
Dormant Growth
The tree is already dead, so there is no growth going on anyway. However, the rest of your garden is still alive around it. It is not uncommon for small trees to sprout up around the base of an old tree stump, and these offshoots steal valuable nutrients from other plants in your garden.
Stump grinding to remove the dead tree stump involves a special machine with a rotating blade. It chews through the tree stump, reducing it to small chips of wood. This process can take up to two hours, depending on the size of the tree. The landscaper using the stump grinder will take care during the process, but they will be standing on your lawn, and the flying wood chips can damage other plants during the process. However, because your garden is in a state of dormant growth in winter due to the low temperature, the damage done to your other plants is minimal.
Future Area Use
The second reason why tree stump removal is best done during winter is that once the stump is gone, you can begin preparing the area for its future use. For example, if you wish to lay lawn seed after the stump has been removed, you can make sure that all the tree roots are removed from the soil and that it has been properly aerated ready for spring growth. If you wish to place a bird bath or water fountain in the area where the tree once stood, you can purchase these items for a lower price in winter as they are often on sale now. Winter is the perfect time to plan what you want to do with this spot and get it ready for the warmer months ahead.
Finally, landscapers or arborists who can help take care of your tree stump removal are easier to book during the winter months, and therefore you won't have to wait too long for this task to be done for you.
