Sonoma's trees are part of why people live here. Old valley oaks and coast live oaks shade the streets around the Plaza and out through the valley, and the bigger properties have bays, oaks and the odd eucalyptus row. When one of those comes down, the stump it leaves is usually big, dense and old. The 2017 Nuns Fire also burned through parts of the valley, and a lot of homeowners are still dealing with what got cut afterward, from scorched oaks to whole hillsides of trees that had to come out.
We grind stumps in town and through the valley, from in-town lots a few blocks off the Plaza to properties out at the vineyard edge. Most homeowners just need stump grinding. If you're building on the spot, adding a guest house or pouring a new driveway, ask about taking the stump out completely instead. Call us and we'll come take a look.
Old oaks: big stumps, wide roots
Valley oaks are some of the biggest oaks in California, and a mature one leaves a stump that can be several feet across at the base. Oak wood is hard and heavy, so it grinds slowly, and the root flare spreads wide right at the surface. The wheel takes the stump and the main flare below the soil line, and then we decide with you how far to chase the bigger surface roots. Oaks also tend to sit close to old stone walls, patios and garden beds, since people built around them for decades, so we take care at the edges and slow down near anything you want to keep. Old oak roots can also carry oak root fungus, so if you plan to replant in the same spot, we clear out as much of the old root wood as we practically can. If a neighbor's oak is sending roots into your lawn, surface root grinding can help, but on a living oak we'll only take what's safe for the tree.
Valley lots, slopes and vineyard edges
Out in the valley, lots are bigger and the ground changes fast, from flat clay near town to rocky slopes in the hills. Driveways can be long and gravel, and some stumps sit at the bottom of a grade or behind a fence along the vines. We plan access before the day so the right machine shows up and nothing gets torn up getting to the stump. When there are several stumps spread over an acre or two, we price them together and work through them in one visit, which costs less than bringing a grinder back each time. On gravel drives we keep the machine on firm ground and sweep up any chips that land on the way out. Hillside stumps get a closer look first, since a machine on a slope needs firm, level footing. We cover the whole valley and over the hill to Santa Rosa.
Common Questions
Usually. Smaller grinders handle moderate slopes well, and we can often reach a stump from above or below where the ground is firmer. Steep or terraced spots need a look in person before we commit, because the machine has to sit level and steady to cut safely. If we can't get equipment to a stump at all, we'll tell you straight and talk through other options.
Yes, with care. Vine roots can run under the area around a stump, so we keep the grinding to the stump and its own main roots, stay back from the vine row and rake the chips out of the row when we're done. If the stump sits in a working vineyard block, check with your vineyard manager on timing, since crews and equipment may be moving through.