Old Stumps Gone, Ready for Sod or Planting

What's included

We bring a self-propelled grinder to the stump and chew it down several inches below grade, along with the major surface roots that spread out from it. Depth matters: grinding just to the soil line leaves a wood plug that sprouts or sinks, while going below grade gives you room for sod, a layer of topsoil or a new shrub. The grindings are raked back into the hole, where they settle over the following months, or spread as mulch in a nearby bed. If you would rather have the chips hauled and the hole filled with soil, mention it when you book and we will quote that as an add-on. Access through a standard gate is usually all we need.

Why grind rather than wait

Pine and oak stumps in North Florida do not rot quickly. Our humid climate feeds the fungi that eventually break them down, but a large oak stump can sit for a decade, sprouting suckers and sending up mushrooms every summer. Meanwhile, subterranean termites treat a dead stump as a buffet and a staging ground that is a short trip from your foundation. Carpenter ants and fire ants move in as well. Grinding removes the food source, levels the lawn so your mower stops hitting it, and gives you back the space. It is also the first step before new sod, a new bed or a replacement tree can go in the same spot.

Scheduling and payment

Pick stump grinding from the catalog, tell us how many stumps and roughly how wide each one is, and choose a time. Because the price is per stump and set in advance, there is no site visit or quote to wait on for most jobs; very large stumps or ones wedged against a foundation may need a look first, and we will reach out if so. The visit appears in your Residely dashboard with the crew assigned. We mark sprinkler heads and any irrigation lines you point out before grinding, keep debris off the house and cars, and rake the area before leaving. Pay through your dashboard once the work is done.

Questions about stump grinding

How deep does stump grinding in Tallahassee go?

Typically several inches below the surrounding soil, deep enough for sod to root or topsoil to fill the hole, plus the visible surface roots. Grinding deeper to make room for a new tree in the exact same spot is possible for most stumps; let us know your plans when you book.

Can I plant a new tree where the old stump was?

You can, though the fresh grindings will tie up nitrogen as they decompose. Most people fill the hole with topsoil and plant a few feet off the original spot, or wait a season. Planting directly in the hole works better if the chips are removed and replaced with soil.

Will grinding damage my sprinklers or utility lines?

Flag your irrigation heads and lines before we arrive, and tell us about anything else buried nearby. Grinding depth stays well above the depth of most utilities, but shallow irrigation and low-voltage lighting lines run near the surface, so marking them is the surest way to avoid a repair.