This is a common question with two simple solutions; you can either leave it or remove it. There are pros and cons to both choices. For stumps that are in the woods or in a natural area, we typically recommend leaving the stump. For stumps that are in a lawn or a mulch bed, we typically recommend removing the stump.

Leaving the stump and letting it naturally decompose is the most environmentally friendly thing to do. As the stump decomposes, it will naturally turn into compost and eventually into soil. While this is best for the environment, it can take a long time for this process to happen and while you are waiting for the stump to decompose, it can be a blight on your landscape, an obstacle to mow around, or a tripping hazard. Certain stumps are very hearty and will quickly start to grow back, increasing the time it will take to decompose.

Removing the stump is also a valid choice. There are countless online videos that show the diverse ways people have tried removing stumps. Each method will eventually work with enough time and effort, but the two fastest ways are to dig it out (grubbing) or grind it up. Grubbing out a stump requires using a large excavator to dig a trench around the stump, severing the roots, and then prying the entire stump out of the ground. This typically leaves a giant hole that will need to be backfilled with dirt. Grinding a stump in place uses a specialized machine called a stump grinder, or stump cutter, to shred the stump into mulch. Once the grinding process is complete, moving the mulch with hand tools and a wheelbarrow is much easier than trying to move an entire stump. The resulting hole after grinding can be bigger than expected but will be much smaller and shallower than the hole left by digging out a stump.