---
title: "What Is Digging out a stump? Stump Grinding Glossary"
description: "Digging out a stump means trenching around it, cutting the roots with a saw and prying the stump from the ground, which Iowa State Extension says suits smaller..."
url: https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/digging-out-a-stump
publisher: Cincinnati Stump Grinding
phone: +1-513-587-6772
quote: https://cincystump.multisites.ai/contact
---

DIY

# Digging out a stump

Digging out a stump means trenching around it, cutting the roots with a saw and prying the stump from the ground, which Iowa State Extension says suits smaller stumps.

Iowa State Extension calls digging out a stump very labor-intensive but quick. It says the method suits smaller stumps, those less than 12 or so inches in diameter. Digging or pulling the stump of a larger tree is not practical.

The steps it lists: dig a trench one to two feet deep around the stump, saw through each lateral root, then pry the stump to one side with a long, sturdy pry bar to cut roots underneath. Fill the hole with topsoil. Leaving the stump four to six feet tall gives leverage. See [lateral roots](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/lateral-roots) and [topsoil](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/topsoil). The guide on [DIY removal versus hiring a pro](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/diy-stump-removal-vs-hiring-a-pro) compares costs and effort.

[From Cincinnati Stump GrindingStump grinding](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/services/stump-grinding)

## Related terms

-   [Lateral roots](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/lateral-roots)
-   [Topsoil](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/topsoil)
-   [Stump grinding](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/stump-grinding)
-   [Stump removal](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/stump-removal)
-   [Stump burning](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/stump-burning)

## Sources

1.  [Iowa State Extension: How to Remove Tree Stumps](https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/how-remove-tree-stumps)
2.  [Iowa State Extension: How to Remove Tree Stumps](https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/how-remove-tree-stumps)