Certified arborist on staff
Tree trimming in Kernersville, NC
Tree trimming for Kernersville yards: deadwood out, crowns thinned and low limbs raised off the roof and drive.
Free written estimate before work starts
- Certified arborist on staff.
- Licensed and insured.
- Since 2000 in business.
- 24/7 emergency tree service.
What a tree trimming visit can include
- CleaningDeadwood and broken limbs out, the cut every tree needs now and then.
- RaisingLow limbs lifted off the roof, the drive and the walk.
- ThinningLight and air through a crowded crown, done lightly.
- ReductionA smaller tree without topping, cut back to a branch that can take over.
- Brush hauled off and the yard cleanedBranches chipped or carried away, the lawn and beds raked.
Trees we have trimmed
What tree trimming costs depends on the tree
The trees set the work: how big they are, how much comes off and what sits underneath.
- Size of the tree
- A tall shade tree takes more climbing, more cuts and more cleanup than a young ornamental.
- How much comes off
- Cleaning out deadwood is a lighter job than raising, thinning and reducing the same crown.
- What stands underneath
- Limbs over a roof, a deck or a fence are lowered by rope, which takes longer than dropping them on open lawn.
- Access
- A lift works fast where it can reach the tree. A backyard tree behind a fence often has to be climbed.
- Number of trees
- Several trees trimmed in one visit share the setup and the cleanup.
- The branches
- Chipping and hauling every branch, or leaving firewood cut to length, changes the cleanup.
Every cut agreed before the climb
We mark each cut
Before the saw starts, we point out the limbs coming off and how much of the crown stays.
We make the cuts
Large limbs over the house or the beds are lowered by rope. The International Society of Arboriculture advises taking no more than about a quarter of the living crown at once, and less on an old tree.
Branches chipped, yard raked
Branches are chipped or hauled away and the lawn and beds are raked, so what you notice is a better-looking tree.
Which cut does your tree need?
| Cut | What it does | When it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning | What it does: Removes dead, dying, diseased and weakly attached branches | When it fits: Almost every tree, at any time of year |
| Raising | What it does: Removes the lowest limbs to lift the canopy | When it fits: Limbs over a roof, a driveway, a walk or a play area |
| Thinning | What it does: Removes select branches at the edge of the crown | When it fits: A dense crown that catches the wind or shades the lawn, done lightly |
| Reduction | What it does: Shortens branches back to a side branch big enough to take over | When it fits: A tree that has outgrown its spot or reaches toward the house |
| Topping | What it does: Cuts branches back to stubs | When it fits: Never: the regrowth is weak and decay often follows |
When to trim trees in the Triad
For most trees, late winter is the best time, before spring growth starts. With the leaves off every branch is easy to see, and the cuts close quickly once the tree starts growing. NC State Extension also notes that fall is when decay fungi spread their spores, another reason to save routine trimming for late winter.
Dead, broken and hanging limbs are the exception. Take them out whenever they appear, and right away if they hang over the house, the drive or a walk. Avoid heavy cutting just after the spring flush of leaves, when the tree has spent its stored energy.
Leave oaks alone in spring. NC State Extension advises against spring pruning of oaks where oak wilt is present, and the disease has been found in western North Carolina. Late-winter trimming fits that advice.
Trim crape myrtles in late winter, and never top them. Cutting the trunks back to stubs, often called crape murder, leaves knobby trunks and weak, crowded sprouts. Take out crossing and dead wood, and use reduction cuts if the tree has grown too big.
Late winter
The main trimming season: leaves off, and cuts close fast once spring growth starts.
Spring
Leave oaks alone, and avoid heavy cuts just after leaf-out.
Any time
Dead, broken or hanging limbs come out whenever they appear.
Before winter
Have dead and broken limbs near the house taken out ahead of ice season.
Trimming that keeps the tree healthy and the house clear
Most Kernersville yards have at least one tree that needs attention: a maple dropping deadwood on the car, a pin oak reaching over the roof, crape myrtles crowding the porch. Good trimming fixes the problem without hurting the tree, and it leaves the tree better built for the next storm. When a tree is past saving, tree removal is the safer call.
We trim trees of every size, from young ornamentals to mature shade trees. Each cut is made just outside the branch collar, where the tree can close the wound, and we take only what the job needs. When a tree's health is in doubt, our certified arborist looks at it before anything is cut. Trimming is part of our full Kernersville tree service.
Trimming or pruning, topping and power lines
When is the best time to trim trees in Kernersville?
For most trees, late winter, before spring growth starts. Dead or hazardous limbs can come out any time, and oaks are best left alone in spring.
Is topping a tree ever a good idea?
No. Topping cuts branches back to stubs and strips away much of the leafy crown the tree feeds on. The regrowth is weakly attached and decay often follows. When a tree needs to be smaller, reduction cuts are the right way to do it.
How much of my tree will you take off?
Only what the job needs. The International Society of Arboriculture advises no more than about a quarter of the living crown at once, and less on an old tree, because the leaves are what feed it.
Can you trim branches near power lines?
We trim the parts of the tree that are clear of the lines. Limbs touching or hanging over a line are the power company's job, because only qualified line-clearance crews should work near them. Never touch or prune near the lines yourself.
What is the difference between tree trimming and pruning?
Most people use the words for the same job. Pruning is the more exact term for cuts made for a reason, such as removing deadwood, raising the crown or reducing the size. On this page both mean the same careful work.
Get a trimming estimate
Tell us about the job. We come out, look at it with you and put a price in writing. Nothing starts until you approve it.
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Request a free written estimate
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