If you own land with at least one tree—or work with clients that do—then eventually you’re going to have to deal with yard waste from trees. Deciduous trees drop all their leaves once a year, and even coniferous trees shed old leaves. Branches break and fall in storms, sometimes large branches if it’s a strong storm or there’s lots of ice weighing the branches down. And sometimes, you need to take a whole tree out because it’s damaged, diseased, dead, or not in a good spot.
When tackling the removal of a tree, branches, or leaves from your yard, the right tools are invaluable. Whether you’re an arborist removing trees, a landscaper removing autumn leaves, or a homeowner clearing fallen branches, the job’s going to go a lot more smoothly if you’ve got the right equipment.
Tree Cutting
For arborists and homeowners with the experience and skills to cut down a tree, a quality chainsaw is a must-have tool. When picking a chainsaw for cutting trees, think about what you need the saw to do. The size of trees you’ll be cutting, and how frequently you use the saw, will determine how powerful of an engine or motor you need, as well as guide bar length.
Most professionals and homeowners will find that gasoline or battery-powered saws can both provide the power needed for taking down trees, cutting firewood, and trimming tree branches. For more information on your options for chainsaws, check out our guide “How To Choose A New Chainsaw.”
Stump Removal
Once the tree is gone, there’s still a stump to deal with. There are five main ways to get rid of a stump in your yard. You can repurpose it as a yard decoration, dig or burn it out, try a chemical stump remover to soften it, or grind the stump out.
Grinding a stump works on large or small stumps and it’s the fastest way to get one out of the yard. You can use a stump grinder whether the stump is brand new or has been in the yard for a long time. Renting a stump grinder is the option likely to make the most sense for homeowners wanting to get rid of a stump. For lawn and landscape professionals, especially those working in tree removal, purchasing a stump grinder can be a good investment.
Tree Trimming
If you need to cut any branches out of the tree, a pole saw makes it safer to cut the branches while you’re still standing on the ground. These saws work best for limbs that are growing horizontally and which can be reached with the pole saw while standing on the ground.
For limbs you can’t reach from the ground, call an arborist who’s trained to safely cut limbs while in a tree. Here at Richardson Saw, we carry a full selection of arborist tools from safety equipment to climbing gear to top-handle saws for in-tree cutting jobs.
Branch Cleanup
Once branches are down in the yard, you won’t want to leave them there where they’ll be in the way of lawn mowing and other yard activities. Also, the longer branches stay on the grass, the more likely it is that the grass under them will die or turn yellow from lack of light.
For larger branches, you’ll need a chainsaw to cut them up. If you want to break the branches down so they’re easier to get rid of or so you can use them as much, a chipper/shredder is the best tool for the job. This is another tool that you’ll probably want to rent if you’re a homeowner but may want to buy if you run a landscaping company where you’ll be cleaning up brush more frequently.
Leaf Vacuuming
For leaves and small twigs in the yard, a leaf shredder/vacuum like the ones from STIHL and Echo will clean things up quickly. Unlike a blower, which moves leaves around in the yard to gather them up in one place, a shredder/vac pulls leaves and twigs into a carrying bag while also shredding them up.
The yard waste will fit into smaller bags than whole leaves so you can get rid of it easier if that’s your plan. Echo shredders reduce the volume of yard waste by a ratio of up to 12:1. STIHL’s reduce the overall volume even more, by a ratio of up to 14:1. You’ll have to take breaks to empty the collection bag, but it’s worth it for the overall time-saving of gathering leaves up and shredding them all in one go.
Now What?
What do you do with yard waste after you’ve cut, gathered, chopped, and chipped up the wood and leaves from trees? Many communities have a yard waste recycling program where you can drop off leaves and branches that you don’t want for local composting. Alternatively, you can recycle yard waste yourself. Once branches, twigs, and leaves are chopped or shredded, use them in your compost pile. It’ll take a while for woody yard waste to break down, but you can speed up the process by mixing in some “green” material like grass clippings and kitchen scraps.
You can also use shredded leaves to mulch the garden. Don’t use wood chips on the garden, since some types of wood can make it harder for plants to grow. You can use the wood chips to mulch in places you don’t want weeds or other plants growing, though, like between raised garden beds.
Whatever you’re planning to do with woody yard waste after you cut, chip, chop, or shred it up, Richardson Saw & Lawnmower is the place to get your yard cleanup equipment. We carry a wide selection of chainsaws, pole pruners, shredder/vacs, and more from trusted brands including STIHL and Echo. Browse our selection online or stop by and see the options in person. We’ll be happy to chat with you, answer any questions, and help you find just the right tool for the job.
