Stumped by Tree Troubles? We're Here for You! - Get Your FREE Estimates!
Stumped by Tree Troubles? We're Here for You! - Get Your FREE Estimates!
When a tree comes down, the stump is the part that sticks around. It blocks the mower, sends up weeds and leaves a hard spot where you’d rather have grass. Stump grinding in River Ridge takes that stump down below the soil line, so you can decide what goes there next.
Big Easy Tree Removal grinds stumps across River Ridge, from yards near the river levee to the streets along Jefferson Hwy. This page is about grinding. For the rest of our work in the area, see our tree service in River Ridge page.
A grinder uses a spinning wheel with cutting teeth. The operator passes it across the stump in overlapping sweeps, turning wood into chips until the stump sits below grade. The roots stay where they are and decay slowly underground. If you want the root ball dug out of the ground as well, that’s a different service, explained on our tree stump removal page.
Grinding can suit a finished lawn or bed because it works from the top down and leaves much of the surrounding soil in place.
River Ridge is unincorporated, so Jefferson Parish rules apply here. The parish code counts sidewalks, parkways and rights-of-way as public property. Planting, pruning, trimming or removing any tree or other vegetation on public property takes a permit from the Department of Parkways. Trimming or removing trees there is limited to a parish-licensed tree service operator who also holds an arborist license from LDAF.
A stump on the grass strip between the sidewalk and the curb may fall under that rule. Before anyone grinds it, contact the Jefferson Parish Department of Parkways, and ask whoever you hire whether they hold both the parish license and an LDAF arborist license. The wording is in Chapter 37 of the parish code. A stump in your own backyard is a simpler case, though it’s still worth a call to Parkways if you’re unsure where your property line runs.
Water, gas and communication lines can run close to where a tree grew. Louisiana 811 takes locate requests under Louisiana’s dig law, which covers excavation such as digging, augering and grading. The law doesn’t name stump grinding, but since the wheel cuts below the soil line, a locate request before grinding is a sensible step. Lines you or a past owner added, like irrigation or a feed to a detached garage, may not show up on a locate, so point them out during the walk-through.
Measure the narrowest point between the street and the stump, whether that’s a side gate, a gap beside the garage, or a path along the fence. We’ll check it at the walk-through and put the access plan in your free written estimate. If there are steps, a raised bed or a soft patch of lawn on the way, mention those too.
When grinding is done, you’re left with a pile of chips and a shallow hole. The chips can go back into the hole, be spread in beds as mulch, or be hauled off. For sod or seed, most of the chips should come out and topsoil should go in, since grass does poorly in straight wood chips. Expect the spot to settle a little as the leftover wood breaks down, and top it off with soil when it does.
Surface roots are worth a mention during the walk-through. Some trees leave thick roots running across the lawn. If those are in the way of mowing, the estimate can include grinding them down near the stump.
Hurricane cleanup can leave stumps behind, since the first job is getting trees off roofs and driveways. When our fulfillment partner Gulf Coast Tree Service handles a crane or storm removal, the stump can be ground later, once the yard is clear and the ground has dried out enough for equipment.
If you’re planting a new tree where the old one stood, set it a little off the old center, where there’s less buried wood. It’s also a chance to choose a tree that handles wind well. In an LSU AgCenter article on wind resistance, bald cypress, live oak and southern magnolia rank among the most wind-resistant trees, while laurel oak, water oak and pecan rank among the least. For a smaller space, crape myrtle scores well for wind resistance among small trees. Our tree planting page has more on choosing and placing a replacement.
If the tree is still standing, start with tree removal in River Ridge. If you’re not sure it needs to come down, see our arborist services in River Ridge. Just east and north of here, we cover stump grinding in Harahan and stump grinding in Metairie, and our main stump grinding page covers New Orleans.
Possibly not. The Jefferson Parish code treats parkways and rights-of-way as public property and requires a Department of Parkways permit and a parish-licensed operator, who must also hold an LDAF arborist license, for removing any tree or other vegetation there. Whether a stump counts is a question for Parkways, so call them before scheduling, and ask any contractor whether they hold the parish and LDAF licenses the code requires.
Partly. Chips can be raked back into the hole right away. Over the following months the wood breaks down and the spot sinks a little. If you want grass there, swap most of the chips for topsoil, level it, and add a bit more soil after it settles.
Yes. If you have several stumps, from an old fence-line cleanup or a few trees taken down over time, list them all when you call. The walk-through will cover each one, including access and any that sit near the street, and the written estimate will show them together.
That depends on space and sun, but wind resistance is worth weighing. LSU AgCenter lists water oak among the least wind-resistant trees and bald cypress, live oak and southern magnolia among the most. In a smaller yard, crape myrtle rates well for wind resistance among small trees. Plant a little off the old stump so you’re not digging through buried wood.
Ready to reclaim that spot in the yard? Call 504-732-1166 or ask for your free written estimate. Tell us where the stumps are, including any by the street, and we’ll plan the visit from there.