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!
Some Mandeville yards still have a reminder of a past storm sitting in the grass: a flat-topped pine stump, or the wide base of an oak that came down years ago. Stump grinding in Mandeville takes that leftover wood down below the lawn so you can mow straight across, lay new sod or plant again.
This page sticks to grinding stumps. If you need the whole tree handled or want to see what else we do around town, our Mandeville tree service page is the place to start.
Storms are one source. The National Weather Service reported that thousands of trees were downed across the parish in 2021, and that Ida’s surge topped the seawall in Mandeville. Storm clean-up can end with the wood hauled off and the stump left for later.
The city’s tree rules add to the count in a different way. Under Ordinance 25-11, permitted removals of protected trees come with replacement planting requirements. So a homeowner who takes out a live oak, cypress or magnolia may also need to put a new tree in the ground, and the old stump may sit right where the new tree would fit.
Other stumps come from ordinary removals: a pine that leaned over a roof, a magnolia that shaded out a garden, a tree removed to make room for an addition.
What stays behind is the root system under the ground. It’s cut off from the trunk and breaks down slowly in place. If you need the stump and main roots pulled out entirely, say for a slab or a pool, that’s a separate service covered on our stump removal page.
If your yard in Old Mandeville or near the lakefront is fenced, with a narrow side gate, mature beds or old trees crowding the path in, the grinder has to get to the stump without tearing through any of that. The route in matters as much as the stump itself.
A few things that help on the walk-through: know how wide your gate opens, whether a fence section can come off, and where your sprinkler heads, drip lines and landscape lighting run. Private lines like those may not be marked by a public locate request.
Wet ground is the other thing to think about. A soils write-up hosted on the city’s site describes the south half of the parish as flat, poorly drained and seasonally wet, with drier, sandier hills to the north. In a yard that stays soggy after rain, a heavy grinder can leave ruts. When the ground is that soft, it can be worth waiting a few dry days.
If the city requires a replacement tree, or you just want one, the old stump spot is a natural place to look. It can work well with a bit of prep. Rake out most of the grindings, since a planting hole full of decaying wood keeps sinking, and fill with topsoil. Setting the new tree a little to one side of the old center keeps it away from the densest roots.
The grindings don’t have to go to waste. Spread thin, they make a rough mulch for beds or around the base of a new tree, kept back from the trunk.
Mandeville’s Ordinance 25-11 is written around cutting, clearing and removing trees, and a protected tree that came down with a permit has already been through that process. If you’re not sure whether a past removal was permitted, or whether a replacement tree is still owed, the city’s Landscape Inspector can tell you. Your HOA may have its own rules about stumps and replanting too.
Outside city limits, in unincorporated St. Tammany Parish, city rules don’t apply. St. Tammany Parish Planning and Development can confirm what does.
If a stump sits under power lines or near a pole, call the electric utility on your bill. In St. Tammany that can be Cleco, Washington-St. Tammany Electric Cooperative or another provider.
If the tree is still standing, our Mandeville tree removal page covers how that works, including the permit side. Large storm removals and crane jobs go through our fulfillment partner Gulf Coast Tree Service, and grinding can follow once the wood is cleared. Not sure the tree needs to come down at all? See our Mandeville arborist page. We also grind in neighboring towns, including stump grinding in Slidell and stump grinding in Covington, and our main stump grinding page has more on the service.
The ordinance’s permit language is about cutting, clearing and removing protected trees, so the permit question belongs to the removal itself. What can still matter is replacement planting, since permitted removals of protected trees carry replacement requirements. If you’re unsure about a particular stump, especially one from a live oak, cypress or magnolia, ask the city’s Landscape Inspector before you plan the spot.
Yes, as mulch, with some care. Spread them in a thin layer and keep them pulled back from the trunk of the young tree. What you shouldn’t do is plant the new tree in a hole packed with fresh grindings. They keep settling as they break down, and the tree can end up sitting low. Topsoil in the hole and grindings on top is the simpler route.
It varies. Species, stump size and how wet the ground stays all play a part, and larger roots take longer. You may notice the lawn dipping slightly over the old root zone as they decay. A little topsoil fixes that.
No. An old storm stump can be easier to grind because the wood has had time to soften. The things to watch for are what grew around them since: new roots from nearby trees, vines, and sometimes debris the storm pushed into the yard. Point out anything you know about on the walk-through.
If a stump is taking up space you’d like back, call 504-732-1166 or request a free estimate. We’ll check the access and the ground, then give you a written plan for grinding and clean-up.
A credentialed arborist scopes the work and signs off the plan before a saw leaves the truck.
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