- 1). Cut down the tree with a chainsaw to make the main trunk only 2 to 3 feet tall. For trees with multiple trunks, such as crepe myrtles, cut away any excess trunks so only one remains.
- 2). Break up the ground with a shovel around the base of the tree working in a circle 2 feet out from the trunk. This will provide a perimeter to work in for digging out the tree. Spread a tarp out to the side of where you are working and dump any removed dirt on the tarp.
- 3). Dig downward along the perimeter to a foot deep and sever roots as you find them. Switch to a pickax, if needed, for ease of digging and tearing roots. Set any soil on the tarp.
- 4). Work toward the base of the tree from the perimeter inward with the shovel or pickax, digging deeper as needed until you have exposed the root-ball of the tree.
- 5). Grip the main trunk that is still standing and shake or rock it to check for looseness. Continue to dig and sever roots as needed until the trunk shakes freely in the hole.
- 6). Lift the base of the dead tree from the hole and discard. Fill in the hole with the soil set aside onto the tarp. Plant grass seed onto the loose soil or convert the area to a garden bed.
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