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landscaping

Stump Grinders: A Necessary Evil

The next step in landscaping our yard was removing the four large stumps from what would soon become the garden. We had two maple stumps and two poplar stumps. So we rented a stump grinder (to the tune of $160) and went to work. And boy, oh boy, was it ever work! The stump grinder worked great, but it sure took a lot of muscle, a lot of time, and a lot of dirt in the face.If you’ve never used one before – imagine it as a cross between a chainsaw and a rototiller.

Stump Grinder

My brother-in-law was kind enough to help and so we were able to take turns running the machine. All said and done it took an average of a little over one hour per stump. Oh, and of course, the handle on the pull cord broke off, so we had to…. [things that our rental agreement said not to do…], but my neighbor is a small engine mechanic so he saved the day and another $160 for us!

Now with the stumps gone, four holes in the ground, and a whole pile of mulch – it’s time to move some dirt around. Who knows – I may just get a late garden in after all!