ash tree stump grinding - Ask Extension
I had a large ash tree removed in May, including grinding the stump. I am now trying to remove the grindings with disposal at an ash accepting site.
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Knowledgebase
ash tree stump grinding #913815
Asked August 12, 2025, 8:53 PM EDT
I had a large ash tree removed in May, including grinding the stump. I am now trying to remove the grindings with disposal at an ash accepting site.
Question: is it possible for me to use some of the grindings to amend the soil in one bed? It seems so rich. I plan to plant bushes and hostas in that bed. I don't know if the ash borer infects the roots.
I appreciate any advice you can give.
Hennepin County Minnesota
Expert Response
Ash tree chips smaller than 1 inch can be used as mulch or soil amendment and ash tree roots do not harbor the larvae. The chips smaller than 1 inch can also be composted. Using the ground up ash will not spread EAB.
The rapid decay of the wood will deplete nitrogen in the soil so a little fertilizer might be needed. Depending on how finely ground up the wood is will affect its use as mulch. It shouldn’t be applied as thickly as mulch with bigger particles. You want keep the mulch from preventing water from getting to the soil. As a fellow gardener, I get excited with the possibility of a source of mulch and compost.
https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JARS/v5n2/v5n2-roberts.htm
https://objects.lib.uidaho.edu/uiext/uiext30220.pdf
The rapid decay of the wood will deplete nitrogen in the soil so a little fertilizer might be needed. Depending on how finely ground up the wood is will affect its use as mulch. It shouldn’t be applied as thickly as mulch with bigger particles. You want keep the mulch from preventing water from getting to the soil. As a fellow gardener, I get excited with the possibility of a source of mulch and compost.
https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JARS/v5n2/v5n2-roberts.htm
https://objects.lib.uidaho.edu/uiext/uiext30220.pdf
