Common pruning jobs
Clearance pruning
Raising and shortening limbs over roofs, decks, driveways and sidewalks. Branches rubbing a roof wear shingles and give rodents and moss an easy path.
Deadwood removal
Removing dead and broken limbs before wind or snow brings them down — one of the most useful things you can do for a big fir or maple.
Crown thinning & light
Selectively removing limbs to let more light into the yard or garden and reduce wind load, without topping or butchering the tree.
Young-tree structure
Shaping young trees so they develop one strong leader and well-spaced limbs. Cheap now, and it prevents expensive problems later.
Good pruning vs. bad pruning
Topping — cutting the top off a tall tree to "make it safer" — usually does the opposite. Firs and maples respond by sprouting clusters of fast, weakly attached shoots, and the big cuts invite decay. A good tree pro will recommend reducing specific limbs, thinning, or (if a tree really is too big for the spot) removal instead.
Other things to look for: cuts made just outside the branch collar (not flush with the trunk), no climbing spikes used on trees that are being kept, and no more foliage removed than the tree can handle in one season.
When to prune in Kent
- Deadwood and hazard limbs: any time — don't wait.
- Most deciduous trees: late fall through winter when they're dormant and you can see the structure.
- Big-leaf maples: they bleed sap heavily in late winter and early spring; many pros prefer summer or late fall for larger cuts.
- Conifers: generally flexible, but get storm-risk work done before the fall windstorm season.
- Birds: heavy pruning in spring can disturb nesting birds; a careful crew will check first.
Trimming near power lines is a special case — see trees near power lines.
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Tell us about the tree. One local, registered and insured tree pro will follow up, usually by the next business day.