Stump removal is what you need when a stump is in the way of a new bed, a paving job, a driveway or a building, or when it keeps sending up new shoots. There are three ways to deal with a stump: dig it out with its roots, grind it below the surface, or let it rot. Each suits a different situation. This page covers digging out, rotting, and how to stop a stump from resprouting. Send a request and teams near you will send free stump removal quotes, with no obligation to accept.
Dig out, grind or leave to rot
Digging out removes the stump and its main root plate. It is the right choice where you will build, lay foundations or put in deep paving, or where you want to replant in the same spot. It takes the most work, needs access for a TLB or a team with picks and a winch on bigger stumps, and leaves a hole to fill.
Grinding takes the stump down below ground level and leaves the roots in the soil to rot. It is faster, cleaner and usually cheaper, and fine for lawns and beds. See stump grinding. Rotting is the cheapest, but slow, and suits stumps out of the way.
How a stump is dug out
A small stump can be dug out by hand. The team digs a trench around it, cuts through the side roots with an axe or saw, and levers or winches the stump free. A large stump, often 60 cm or more across, needs a TLB or excavator, and the roots of a big gum can run many metres. Before any digging, find out where the water pipes, drains, cables and irrigation run. Roots often wrap around them. The hole is then backfilled with soil and compacted so it does not sink later.
Chemical and natural rotting
A cut stump left on its own rots over years. You can speed it up:
- cut the stump as low as possible
- drill deep holes in the top and sides
- keep it moist and cover it with soil or mulch
- add nitrogen, such as compost or a high-nitrogen fertiliser, to feed the fungi
Products sold to speed up rotting help, but still take months. Never burn a stump close to buildings or in dry grass, and check your local fire rules first.
Stopping a stump from resprouting
Many gums, wattle, syringa and some other species send up shoots from the stump and roots after felling. Removing the stump does not always solve it if roots stay in the ground. Ask the team about treating the stump straight after cutting, and pull or cut new shoots as they appear. For listed invaders, see alien tree removal.
What to include in your request
- Number of stumps and the width of each
- What you will use the spot for afterwards
- Photos showing access and gate width
- Any known pipes, cables or irrigation
- Whether the hole must be filled
Stump Removal for different clients
- Homeowners: an old stump dug out so a new bed, lawn or paving can go in
- Estates, complexes and body corporates: stumps in shared gardens removed and the holes filled level for the landscapers
- Farms, smallholdings and plantations: gum and wattle stumps dug out of fields and treated to stop them resprouting
- Businesses and commercial property: stumps removed from parking areas and verges before new paving is laid
- Schools, churches and municipalities: stumps at schools, parks and cemeteries removed so they are not a trip hazard
- Developers and building sites: stumps and root plates dug out of a building footprint before foundations
- Servitudes and fire breaks: stumps along servitudes removed or treated to stop regrowth under lines
- Tree fellers, landscapers and garden services: landscapers arranging stump removal before replanting a client's garden
Frequently asked questions
What is the price for stump removal?
Is it better to grind or remove a tree stump?
Can I remove a tree stump myself?
How do I find stump removal near me?
Stump Removal by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg