Hello everyone, I am in the stump grinding buisiness, and having a small self propelled machine, I often get hired to grind roots that have become a trip hazard, etc. It's usually an Oak, Pine, or a Magnolia.

Sometimes they want me to just grind the roots down level with the ground, other times the roots will be completely above ground, and grinding them down means cutting them out altogether. It usually comes down to what the customer wants.

I obviously don't want to kill a tree, by grinding too much of it's root system. I doubt a good evaluation could be made without seeing each individual situation first hand, but I was wondering if there was a "Rule of Thumb" that could be applied here?

Thanks!

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Long,

Good that you asked the question. I am a gardener, so you still are not getting the professional opinion you are seeking - just some ideas here.

If the root is the issue and it's not part of a dead tree, why not refer the person to a tree specialist who can evaluate whether or not the root removal is an issue? In CT, a stump grinder is not licensed to treat issues with live trees - don't know how it is in your area.

We have recently had 50 mph winds on trees in this region. Seems to me that those nasty tripping roots are part of what keep the trees in the ground. I have often seen roots get to the tripping phase when there is so much compaction or erosion around the tree that the roots can grow most easily on the surface. Grinding the roots when a tree is challenged to find the soil and air it needs for its roots is counterproductive - helps the human, may hurt the tree.

A tree person might choose to put some mulch or compost over the roots or address compaction issues -- or, another thing to consider is whether there are safety issues due to the volume of surface rooting vs. crown volume.

This is a great opportunity for you to make and get referrals - find a couple of good tree people who you can introduce your customers to, and hope that they respect your work and will refer to you as well.

Good luck and thanks for asking a very good and important question.

quote:

Originally posted by Chris reid:
Long,

Good that you asked the question. I am a gardener, so you still are not getting the professional opinion you are seeking - just some ideas here.

Hello Chris, thank you for taking the time to reply.

quote:

In CT, a stump grinder is not licensed to treat issues with live trees - don't know how it is in your area.

To my knowledge, in Georgia, Stump Grinders are not required to have any license other than a Occcupational Tax Certificate. I do intend to research this more though, now that you brought it to my attention.

quote:

Seems to me that those nasty tripping roots are part of what keep the trees in the ground.

Very true!

quote:

I have often seen roots get to the tripping phase when there is so much compaction or erosion around the tree that the roots can grow most easily on the surface. Grinding the roots when a tree is challenged to find the soil and air it needs for its roots is counterproductive - helps the human, may hurt the tree.

Very good point. Erosion could be fixed by adding soil. What, in your opinion, could be done about the compaction?

quote:

A tree person might choose to put some mulch or compost over the roots or address compaction issues -- or, another thing to consider is whether there are safety issues due to the volume of surface rooting vs. crown volume.

Could you explain surface rooting vs. crown volume further please, I'm not completely sure I understand.

Contacting a professional is a very good idea, and would be beneficial in many ways. And in some cases I intend to do just that. However, it seems that there are a lot of people that do not share our concerns about the health of the tree. They just want what they want, and if I don't do the work, they will pick up the phone book and call another grinder, who may not think twice about grinding them,(I know most all of the other grinders in town, and they all grind roots.)

I appreciate your input on this matter, and look forward to your future posts.

I just hope you have good insurance cover