Contents (Click To Jump)
What Types of Damage Can You Expect After Tree Removal?
Once you’ve removed a tree or a stump from your property, it’s likely that your lawn will experience some damage.
Some examples of lawn damage include:
- Large divots from heavy branches cut and dropped to the ground.
- Tire tracks left from the (large or towed-in) equipment used.
- Footprints left from work boots.
- A large hole left from the ground-out stump and chased roots.
Of course all of the above can be exacerbated by naturally damp soil conditions, or work performed after a rain.
Whether it’s from the absence of the tree and its root system, or from the crew that removed the tree, it’s common that your lawn will have grass damage or soft spots.
These soft spots can occur after the removal of a tree’s roots or a tree stump as the soil begins to fill in those empty spaces. This can also lead to dead patches in the grass that will need to be tended to in order for it to grow back evenly.
Don’t worry, even if your lawn is scarred right now it can be repaired, replanted, and come back better than ever. However, it will take some ‘know-how’ and time to achieve.
What Do You Need To Know About New Grass And Lawn Care?
Most homeowners will need to plant or reseed grass at some point or another.
One of the best ways to repair your grass is by seeding rough patches in an inch of soil and applying a slow-release starter fertilizer rich in calcium.
The most important thing to know is that once your lawn has been planted, fertilized, and filled in with solid growth, it can begin to regrow fairly quickly. Just keep the new grass watered and lightly fed with fertilizer and that area should settle in and grow back nicely.
When you need to fill in rough areas (sometimes created by the acidity of dog urine) or make substantial changes to your lawn (like removing a tree) the uniformity of grass coverage can become a little frustrating.
Just remember that almost all plants need just three things to grow, light, water, and a substrate or growing medium. If you’ve covered these bases and are paying attention, then patience and care are the final pieces of the puzzle.
Here’s an excellent video that will demonstrate the process of repairing your lawn after you’ve removed a tree.
What Are The Different Types of Lawn Repair?
When it comes to lawn maintenance, there are numerous tools in your arsenal for bringing your lawn back to its former glory.
Some are simple and inexpensive, and some are more involved but will lead to better results. Let’s break down some of the most common lawn repair methods below.
Sod
Sod is generally used after new construction. These are rolled bundles of mature grass and the earth it’s living in. These are farmed, cut, pulled up, rolled into bundles, and delivered to building sites.
This is the quickest way to ‘install’ a fully mature lawn. The seams left from the rolls of sod will quickly and uniformly grow together.
In the case of repairing a lawn after you’ve removed a tree, you might elect to use sod if:
- You’d like the area to look as good as possible, as quickly as possible.
- You’ve decided to reshape the area to some degree.
- You have erosion issues in that area— sod can help to mitigate those.
- Sod can be installed almost any season (except in very high heat).
Reseeding The Area
This is the most common option homeowners choose when regrowing a lawn after removing or grinding out a stump.
This method makes it easier to fill in that patch of earth with new growth (or a new tree) rather than using rolls of sod that would need to be cut to fit the area and might prevent the uneven soil from settling properly.
Re-Grading The Area
Re-grading is generally used when you’d like to send rain runoff in a different direction.
(For example, away from a house or structure.) This could be an issue if a large, old tree was removed from your property. Usually, re-grading will require heavy equipment (like a Bobcat or even a bulldozer) to not only efficiently move the earth around, but to smooth it out and pack it down to the desired grade (direction/angle of slope).
When Should You Hire A Tree or Lawn Specialist To Help You?
At this point, you may be wondering whether you should attempt to repair your lawn yourself or hire a team of lawn care specialists to help you.
Generally, lawns that just need to be reseeded can be handled by an inexperienced homeowner, but if you feel your lawn needs to be regarded or sodded, it’s best to contact one of our seasoned professionals to take a look at your unique situation.
Some of the key pitfalls you may not know how to solve as a DIYer are:
- How to manage holes left by decayed root systems
- How to tamp, regrade, plant, and fertilize new grass so it settles and becomes level over time
- How to correctly use mulch and wood chips to encourage the growth of your grass, new trees, or the flower bed you have planned
- What the best seasons for each type of yard work is— to minimize stress to your yard
- How to plan a long-term strategy for the developing beauty of your property
However, when you work with professionals like us you get:
- All the right insurance, licensure, tools, and equipment
- The right people, trained to safely use that equipment
- One set of professionals to do it all: tree felling, stump grinding, and the managed growth of healthy, vibrant, new grass into your landscaping scene
- A huge savings of time, energy, running around, guesswork, and unpredictable outcomes
Ultimately, if you want your lawn to regrow perfectly (or even better than before) it’s best to talk to someone who knows the ins and outs of lawn care and specializes in helping lawns regrow after tree removal.
If you have any questions at all, reach out to us today. We’d be happy to see if we can help you with your lawn and tree issues.
