How to clean up after stump grinding: what to rake, haul and fill

What does cleanup after stump grinding involve?

Three jobs: move the chips, fill the hole, and repair the lawn around it. Iowa State Extension says “When complete, a large pile of wood shavings will remain in the hole” and that “Most arborists will not remove this material unless it is requested.” It adds that “the hole will only be filled if requested.”

So cleanup starts before the work. Decide with the grinder who handles each job. Then do the rest yourself in the order below.

Does the grinder clean up the chips?

Only if you ask. Iowa State Extension says “Both of these services typically have an additional cost.” Cincinnati Stump Grinding says on Angi: “And if you’d like those wood chips hauled away and replaced with fresh topsoil, we offer those services too.” The business grinds stumps in Dayton, Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. See the chip haul-away and topsoil service.

Ask about chip haul-away and topsoil when you request your free estimate. Cincinnati Stump Grinding says it can “usually provide one very quickly without an in-person visit.”

How do I clean up the chips myself?

Follow these steps.

1. Rake the chips from the lawn into a pile.
2. Decide where they go: haul away, compost, or reuse as mulch away from the hole. See what to do with stump grindings.
3. Bag or load the chips in small amounts. The Cincinnati yard waste page says “Yard waste containers and bags exceeding 25 lbs. in weight will not be collected.”
4. Remove the chips from the hole too. Illinois Extension says to “haul off the chipped stump debris” before you fill.
5. Fill the hole with quality topsoil. Mound a little extra for settling, as Purdue Extension advises.
6. Rake the edges level, then sod or seed.

Why remove the chips from the hole? Illinois Extension explains: “Wood material mixed in with the soil can tie up nitrogen as the wood breaks down, making it difficult to grow lawn, or another plant where the tree once stood.” Iowa State Extension says “Ideally, these shavings are removed before new topsoil is added and the area is replanted.”

Can I put the chips at the curb or take them to a drop-off site?

Maybe. Rules depend on your town, and most pages list stumps and logs, not ground chips. Check your local page first.

Neither page names ground wood chips. Call before you set out or haul a load. For more on the Cincinnati rules, read what Cincinnati yard waste pickup won’t take and Hamilton County yard trimmings drop-off: what fits.

How do I fill the hole?

With quality topsoil, not chips. Illinois Extension recommends hauling off the chipped debris and filling the hole “with quality topsoil.” Purdue Extension says to add soil “and a little additional soil mounded to compensate for some decay.” Putting soil back in a hole is called backfill.

Then plan for soil settling. Purdue Extension says “there will be significant settling of the ground below the stump as it decays.” Check the spot after rain and add soil as needed. The guide on whether the hole sinks after stump grinding explains why.

What about the lawn around the hole?

Rake the area level and clear loose chips off the grass. When you are ready to plant, read can you plant grass after stump grinding. Purdue Extension prefers sod and advises slow-release turf fertilizer.

What else should I check before I finish?

• Roots may still be in the ground. See should you remove roots after stump grinding.
• Sprouts may appear. Purdue Extension says to treat them “with typical lawn herbicide as needed at the label recommended rates.” Follow the product label.
• If you plan a new tree, read can you plant a tree after stump grinding.

The full plan is in what to do after stump grinding.

Next step

For chip haul-away and fresh topsoil, see the chip haul-away and topsoil service. Call (513) 587-6772 or send photos for a free estimate.