Dryad’s Saddle: The “Pretty” Mushroom That Signals a Tree in Trouble
Dryad’s saddle (also called pheasant’s back) may look charming on a stump—but its presence is a warning sign. This fungus is a parasite that spreads from decaying stumps into living trees, slowly eating away their heartwood and leaving them structurally weak. Once it colonizes a stump, it sends its decay into nearby hardwoods—elm, maple, ash,…
The Brown Recluse Spider, a Tree Stump, and Global Warming: A Hidden Chain Reaction in Our Backyards
When most people think about climate change, they picture melting glaciers, rising seas, or extreme storms. Few imagine a quiet, rotting tree stump in the corner of a yard — and even fewer imagine that stump becoming a micro‑ecosystem that supports one of North America’s most notorious spiders: the brown recluse.Yet this is exactly how…
Mountain Pine Beetle: What Cleveland Homeowners Should Know
Quick, friendly guidance for Northeast Ohio yards 1. What Is It? A tiny bark beetle (smaller than a grain of rice) that burrows under pine bark and shuts down the tree’s water flow. One beetle isn’t the issue — but a swarm can take out a pine in a single season. Even though major outbreaks…
The Stubborn Stump Saga
A Humorous Tale of Backyard Woe In my backyard, proud and free, Lurked a stubborn, knobby tree — Or rather, what remained behind: A stump of the most persistent kind. I met it first, just out for air — It caught my toe, and down the stair I tumbled, bruised in pride (and knee), Cursing…
Another day of digging—and again we see two extremes in how people treat wood in their lawn.
1. “Remove everything, not a splinter left.” 2. “Leave the roots, just shave the stump.” The first approach is simple: if someone wants the cleanest look, we can take away extra mulch. When the stump is cut low, it is not possible to collect mulch. The root system is huge, and once ground, it mixes…
Acidic Soil Under a Tree Stump: Why It Happens and What You Can Plant There
When a tree is removed, the soil beneath the stump doesn’t immediately return to “normal.” In fact, the area often becomes more acidic, especially if the tree was a conifer. This acidity affects what will grow well in that spot — and what won’t. Understanding why stump areas turn acidic and which plants naturally thrive…
An Unusual Order: What Were We Looking For?
Not what they usually look for underground. Not Pipes. Not Cables. Not Treasure. Some jobs start with a clear problem. This one didn’t. We arrived at an address we’d never visited before. In front of us was a smooth lawn, the kind you see every spring after the snow melts — grass a little withered,…
Ode to the Immortal Stump
(Or, How a Tree Ruined My Sports Career and Homeowner Dreams) There’s a stubborn old stump in my yard, It stands like a guard, wooden and hard. It laughs while I trip and I tumble and bleed, Ignoring my curses and desperate plead. No baseball, no tennis, no football can play, My wife sighs, “No…
The Saga of Grindrûn and the Titan Stump of Oakfell
In the quiet yards of Oakfell, where maples whisper and lawns roll like green seas, a shadow once stretched across the land — the Giant Stump, last remnant of an ancient tree whose roots were said to drink thunder and whose bark had survived a hundred winters.Neighbors spoke of it in hushed tones. Dogs refused…
How to Get Rid of an Old Tree Stump?
Is an old tree stump ruining the look of your yard? Here’s how to restore its former glory! Why remove it at all? An old tree stump is not just an eyesore it can be a tripping hazard attract pests and prevent you from using that area of land for gardening or landscaping Removal Options:…