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True Tree Service sawyer flush-cutting a stump low before grinding, sawdust flying

Below-grade removal, one visit

Stump Grinding in Humboldt & Del Norte County

The tree is gone. Finish the job.

Get a Free Quote(707) 926-4983

★★★★★5 stars on Google · 100+ reviews · Licensed CSLB #1132934

What is stump grinding?

Stump grinding uses a carbide-toothed grinding wheel to chew a tree stump down below ground level, leaving wood chips and soil where the stump was. Ground deep enough, the spot can be reseeded, replanted, or built over. True Tree Service grinds stumps throughout Humboldt and Del Norte counties, including stumps left behind by other companies.

Why stumps in this climate can't just sit

In a dry climate, an old stump is an eyesore. On the wet North Coast, it is an active problem. Our rainfall turns dead stumps into sponges, and sponges into habitat.

Rot, fungus, and your healthy trees

Decaying stumps host root-rot fungi, including the pathogens that travel through root contact to healthy trees nearby. Removing the stump removes the reservoir. If you have lost one tree to root disease, grinding its stump is protection for the rest of the yard.

Carpenter ants and termites

A damp rotting stump is first-choice real estate for carpenter ants and dampwood termites, and a colony established ten feet from your house does not stay ten feet from your house. Grinding removes the nursery.

Sprouting and regrowth

Redwood, willow, cottonwood, and eucalyptus stumps do not accept defeat; they resprout, fast. Grinding through the crown of the stump takes out the growing points so you are not fighting the same tree twice.

Mowing, trips, and lost ground

Every stump is a mower obstacle, a trip hazard, and a patch of yard you cannot use. Grinding gives the ground back, level and ready for grass, garden, or fence line.

How stump grinding works

The grinder is a purpose-built machine with a spinning carbide wheel that sweeps across the stump, shaving it into chips from the top down. We grind below grade, chase the major surface roots where needed, and either leave the chip mound to settle, spread it as mulch, or haul it and backfill so the spot is seed-ready.

Standard depth suits grass and garden beds. Planning a fence post, a patio, a driveway, or a replacement tree in the same hole? Tell us when we quote, and we grind deeper to match what is going there.

Tight access is our normal

Humboldt lots were not designed around tree equipment. Our grinding setup is chosen to fit through standard gates, down narrow side yards, and onto the sloped and soft ground that turns bigger rigs away. Send a photo of the access with your quote request and we will confirm the fit.

Utilities come first

Grinding happens below ground, so buried lines matter. Utility locating is part of the process before teeth touch soil, and we route around irrigation and known private lines rather than through them.

What stump grinding costs

Stump grinding is priced by the stump: its diameter, its species and condition (old rotten stumps grind fast, green redwood grinds slow), the depth you need, access for the machine, and how many stumps we can do in one visit. Multiple stumps on the same trip cost meaningfully less per stump than one-off visits, so if you have three, quote all three.

You do not need to have used us for the removal. A steady share of our grinding jobs are stumps another company, or another decade, left behind. Quotes are free, and most residential stumps are ground in a single visit.

What's included with every job

  • Grinding below grade, ready to replant or build over
  • Tight-access equipment for gates and side yards
  • Surface roots chased where needed
  • Grindings left as mulch or hauled away with backfill
  • Multi-stump discounts on the same visit

Stump Grinding across the North Coast

We provide stump grinding throughout Humboldt and Del Norte counties from crew bases in McKinleyville and Crescent City:

Our process

Simple, and only a few steps

Our process is simple and only contains a few simple steps. From the first call to the final rake, here is how it goes.

  1. 1

    Call or send the form

    Tell us what the tree is doing. Photos help. We usually respond the same business day.

  2. 2

    Free on-site quote

    We walk the job with you, explain your options honestly, and give you a firm number. No pressure.

  3. 3

    We do the work

    A licensed, insured crew shows up on time and works safely: careful rigging, quiet electric saws where we can.

  4. 4

    Clean site, done deal

    Brush chipped, wood handled your way, site raked. The job is done when it looks the way we promised.

Google Reviews

What your neighbors say

★★★★★5 stars on Google · 100+ reviews

★★★★★
“Jacob was thorough and effective, listening to my choices about what to do (and what not to do) on our property.Frank was amazing to watch in the trees, so safe, so sure, and careful. I thoroughly appreciated all of their good work.”
Roberta RussellGoogle review
★★★★★
“Jacob, Andrew and Issac of True Tree Service, are gentlemen that care about their trade and their customers. They listen to the customer and encourage their feedback on their work. TTS is very competitive with their pricing along with their quality workmanship.One cannot go wrong hiring TTS.”
Steve TurnerGoogle review
★★★★★
“Friendly, efficient crew and great price”
Kris ButlerGoogle review
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Stump Grinding questions, answered

How deep do you grind a stump?

Standard grinding takes the stump well below grade, deep enough for grass or garden beds over the spot. If you are planning a fence post, patio, or replanting a tree in the same location, tell us and we grind deeper to match the project.

Can you get a grinder into my backyard?

Usually, yes. Our equipment is chosen for North Coast lots: through standard gates, down narrow side yards, and onto slopes and soft ground that turn bigger machines away. Send a photo of the access and we will confirm before we quote.

What is left after grinding?

A shallow mound of wood chips and soil where the stump was. You can leave it to settle, use it as mulch in your beds, or have us haul the grindings and backfill with soil so the spot is ready for seed the same week.

Will the stump grow back after grinding?

No. Grinding removes the growing points in the stump's crown, which is what kills regrowth, and that matters here because redwood, willow, and eucalyptus all resprout aggressively from cut stumps that are merely left alone.

Do you grind stumps from trees you didn't remove?

All the time. Old stumps from long-gone trees and stumps other companies left behind are a regular part of our schedule. Multiple stumps in one visit also earn a better per-stump price.

Need stump grinding?

Free on-site quotes across Humboldt and Del Norte. Honest recommendations, firm numbers.

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