Every yard has one: the stump from the tree that came down three years ago, quietly fading into the garden bed. Harmless? Sometimes. But as storm season approaches, old stumps earn a second look.
They’re not just eyesores — they’re active little risk factories, and pre-storm is exactly the right time to deal with them.
The termite welcome mat
Decaying stumps are prime termite habitat — soft, moist, undisturbed timber at ground level. Colonies established in a stump don’t stay in the stump; they explore. Grinding removes the habitat before the scouts find your stumps-to-house bridge.
The fungus factory
Old stumps host decay fungi — and some, like Armillaria (honey fungus), don’t stop at dead wood. They can spread through soil to living trees and shrubs nearby. A stump producing bracket fungi or mushrooms is telling you something about what’s happening underground.
The physical hazards
Grass hides stumps. Mowers find them. Ankles find them. Storm debris hides them further. And in fire season, a smouldering stump hole is a notorious re-ignition point — stumps can hold fire underground for days.
The easy win
Stump grinding is one of the cheapest, fastest tree services there is — most stumps done in under an hour, ground below grade, ready for lawn or garden. As a pre-summer property tidy, it’s the highest-value hour of tree work you’ll buy all year.
The stump you stopped noticing is still working — just not for you. An hour of grinding ends it for good.
