Have you recently cut down a tree in your yard? You’re in great company.
Research shows that people chop down more than 15 billion trees annually. Tree cutting is often done to eliminate damaged, dying, or dead trees that may fall and cause property damage or injury to pets and families.
Do you know what happens to tree roots underground once a tree is professionally removed? Let’s explore the answer to this question and whether you should try to remove the left-behind tree roots.
Tree Roots Underground
Suppose you’ve hired a tree service company to cut down a tree in your yard. They removed the trunk and turned it into mulch. The company then hauled away smaller logs, leaving the tree roots behind.
What now? Your chopped-down tree can’t produce food to grow its roots since it no longer has leaves. The tree roots may still have enough nutrients to generate sprouts, though.
Let’s say the sprouts grow enough leaves. They may eventually become trees.
What happens if your tree roots don’t create sprouts? Your tree likely won’t re-grow. Your tree roots will decompose (decay) over the next 10 years instead.
Reasons to Remove Tree Roots
You might want to remove the tree roots instead of letting them wither away. Let’s review a few reasons to eliminate the roots after you cut down a tree.
Yard Hazards
Your tree trimming service may have cut your tree down but left the roots and stump behind. A stump sticking up may hurt kids if they’re playing in the yard and not paying attention.
Left-behind stumps can also make yard work harder. You’ll have to keep up the areas around the stumps. You should also avoid the root and stump areas when cutting your grass since running over them can damage your mower.
Removing your tree stump and roots will make your yard a safer place to play and entertain family and friends. It’ll also make mowing, raking, and tilling your garden less complicated.
Your Yard’s Aesthetics
Tree stumps can look like eyesores in a neatly mowed and kept-up yard. This will ruin your scenery’s aesthetic.
Eliminating stumps will make your yard more attractive and enjoyable to spend time in. It’ll also boost your home’s resale value if you sell it.
Another reason to remove stumps and tree roots is that they can take up valuable space. Removing them can free up space for holding family picnics, entertaining visitors, or creating a deck or porch.
Pest Problems
A tree stump is a breathing system. This means it can become a host to multiple insects and pests while decomposing. These pests include the following:
- Beetles
- Termites
- Carpenter ants
- Rats
These critters can multiply and go to other trees and plants across your yard if not controlled. They could even enter your home.
Termites can especially be problematic. These insects may damage your health, lawn, and home.
A termite feeds on wood. This may weaken your home’s roof, floors, walls, and foundation. The bugs may damage your furniture, insulation, plumbing, and electrical wiring, too.
Repairing substantial termite damage may cost $3,000 to $10,000. Your homeowner’s insurance policy may or may not cover some of the damage termites cause.
These bugs may also ruin your yard’s appearance by creating tunnels, mounds, and mud tubes. Another problem with termites is that they may cause allergic reactions, like itchy skin or asthma attacks.
Fungi Issues
Fungi may also develop around the tree roots and stump and spread to other parts of your property. This is a problem for several reasons.
These organisms may damage your yard’s appearance. Examples of fungi include mildew, mold, and mushrooms. They can create rings, spots, or patches of dead or discolored grass that look different from the remainder of your yard.
Some homeowners think mushrooms are aesthetically pleasing. Others view them as signs of neglect and nuisances.
Mold, mildew, and mushrooms are also problematic since they may lead to health problems for animals and humans. Mushrooms are sometimes poisonous, causing death or severe illness in pets or children if ingested. Other fungi may trigger a respiratory problem or allergic reaction in spore-sensitive people.
Fungi may decrease your lawn’s resilience and health, too. These organisms may compete with the grass for water and nutrients. This may weaken your grass’s growth and make it more prone to drought, pests, and diseases.
Failure to control fungi might also lead to soil pH balance problems. This will affect your soil’s drainage, leading to flooding. Eliminating tree stumps and underground roots can help prevent these issues.
Tree Root Removal Process
The best way to protect your yard and family when cutting down a tree is to remove the stump and the underground tree roots. It’s a labor-intensive job. This is why you should hire a professional tree service to handle it.
A professional tree trimming service can use heavy machinery to dig up your tree’s roots and stump. The machines can then pull them out.
Reputable tree removal services will evaluate your site before scheduling a stump and root extraction so they know what tools they’ll need. The right company will exercise caution during the task to avoid damaging surrounding landscaping or buildings.
Your professional tree trimming service might need a crane to help with the tree removal. Cranes may be used on trees close to delicate landscaping or structures. These 40-ton machines can help ensure a safer, faster, and less costly tree removal process.
How We Can Help Remove a Tree
Tree roots underground will likely decay after 10 years. It may pose problems until then since they can attract termites and other pests, like rats. Roots could also develop fungi, which may spread to other areas of your yard.
Removing a tree stump and root system left after chopping a tree down can help prevent critter issues and make your yard safer to navigate. Another benefit of eliminating underground roots is that this will make mowing the yard easier.
We can help you remove a tree, stump, and root system at Tree-Line Arbor Care, LLC. Request a free quote today!