On 9/3/12 10:40 AM, stvnshrmptn wrote:
Thanks for the replies.

Is this predominantly a US forum?

Access is no problem as we have a large area out the back so direct
access should help. If I don't want to grow anything on the area, is
there a point to having the stumps ground out?

While many participants here are in the U.S., we also see messages from
the U.K., Canada, Australia, and elsewhere. Generally, participants are
English-speaking but do not necessarily have English as their primary
language.

The purpose of grinding out the stump is to allow you to plant something
else in that spot. Of course, what you plant there will initially have
a smaller root ball than the space left by the grinding out.
Eventually, the remnants of the removed tree will decompose, allowing
the roots of the new plant to spread.

If you do not plan to plant something there, you can leave the stump.
In that case, you might leave it about 2 feet (.6 m) high so it can be
used as a seat or 3 feet (.9 m) so it can be used as a small table.
Otherwise, it should be cut as low as possible -- even slightly below
the soil level -- so that it does not become a tripping hazard. No, it
won't be in the path of casual visitors; but you might forget it's there
while you are puttering in your garden.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary