How to remove a dead oak tree

I have a large dead oak tree to remove. What kinds of issues do I need to consider as I organize the removal of the tree?

— Alberto Gonzalez, Highwood

Winter is a good time to do tree removal to minimize the impact on other plants in your garden. Frozen ground provides additional protection for dormant perennials. You may be able to secure better pricing if the work is done in the winter. My neighbor just cut down a large oak tree in his backyard. Any branches that fall on the garden and the crew walking around to perform the work will damage the perennials if the removal is done during the growing season. Most perennials would not suffer permanent damage, but this can spoil the appearance of a portion of the garden for the remainder of the gardening season. You do not describe where the tree is located on your property as this can have a large impact on the cost. Putting plywood down before driving in large equipment and avoiding work when the ground is wet are both important. There will be less soil compaction if the ground is dry or frozen when the work is done.

Shrubs, ground covers and perennials within a foot or so of the stump will likely be destroyed or damaged when it is ground out, so you may want to temporarily relocate them. You may still be able to transplant the perennials since winter has been relatively warm so far. If the stump is 2 feet or more in diameter it would be good to clear a space that is 2 to 3 feet away from the stump. The stump should be ground to at least 12 inches in depth if you want to plant new perennials in the same location. The more soil depth the better for the new perennials. New trees and shrubs with a large root ball will probably need to be planted adjacent to the old stump, and you will likely need to cut through old roots from the tree while planting. A sharp ax works well for cutting out larger roots.

The grinding process will leave a large mound of chips mixed with soil that will need to be removed and replaced with topsoil. Be sure to remove the wood chip and soil mix down to the bottom of the hole left by the grinding process. The stump grindings can be piled up in the back corner of the yard to decompose over a couple of years, leaving you with topsoil to reuse in your garden.

The loss of a large shade tree will increase the amount of sun in your garden, which will affect the performance of the existing plants. If other adjacent trees provide shade for the beds, then the impact will be less. It is a good idea to determine the need to relocate plants that may end up being in too much sun next year and replace them with more sun-loving plants. Trees and shrubs in gardens grow over time and gradually increase shade. As light decreases over time some plants can start to struggle, and when a tree is removed the light levels return to more optimal levels for the plants. If you are unsure of the impact the tree removal will have, then observe how the plants respond to this change in your garden over the growing season and adjust their locations as you see problems with too much sun. Hostas are common shade plants and when grown in too much sun can fade in color, bleach and burn.

For more plant advice, contact the Plant Information Service at the Chicago Botanic Garden at plantinfo@chicagobotanic.org. Tim Johnson is senior director of horticulture at the Chicago Botanic Garden.