Category Tree Trimming

In late winter and early spring, it is common to see crape myrtles in North Texas with all of their canopies and upper branches removed, leaving only standing trunks. Understandably called “topping,” as the top of the tree is removed, this practice leads to twiggy new growth from the ends of the trunks. A year later, the new growth is removed again, and the process repeats itself. While crape myrtles are the most common victims of topping, larger trees can be topped as well. Any trees that survive topping exhibit similar growth patterns of uneven, thin branches growing from larger trunks. The practice of topping trees often comes from an uninformed and misguided attempt to avoid limb breakage, stimulate new growth, and control the size and shape of trees, but topping trees is bad for the trees and causes more problems than it solves.

Why Do People Top Trees?

There are several reasons that people may want to top their crape myrtles or other trees:

• Aesthetics
  • Some people want to reduce the size of a tree for visibility
• Safety
  • It may be thought that removing all of a tree’s branches eliminates risk
• Simplicity
  • It can be much easier just to remove the top of a tree entirely, rather than use proper pruning techniques
• Habit
  • In communities where the practice is common, tree topping can become the accepted norm
• Convenience
  • Without large, spreading limbs, trees do not drop as many leaves, flowers, or seeds
• Turf grass
  • Removing a tree’s canopy greatly reduces the shadow of a tree that may affect turf growth
• Growth Stimulation
  • It is a common misconception that topping a flowering tree causes increased bloom production

Whatever the motivation, however, tree topping is never the best method to achieve the desired outcome, and is actually counterproductive in most cases.

What are Alternatives to Topping Trees?

Depending on your goal, there are different proper pruning techniques that can help shape your trees.

Reducing size

• Raising the canopy and removing upper or outer branches can go a long way toward reducing the overall size of a tree
  • While limb stubbing is not recommended, in certain cases, limbs can be trimmed back from the ends
• Consider replacing oversized trees with species that are better suited to the location and don’t require drastic reshaping

Reducing risk

• Removing all the branches of a tree is not the best way to reduce risk
  • Removing the canopy exposes the trunk to more light and heat, which can cause sunburn and sun scald, both of which can lead to decay and tree deathIn most cases, removing dead, dying, or broken limbs and thinning the canopy’s interior growth is sufficient to prepare the tree for high winds or severe storms
  • Consult an ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified Arborist for an evaluation of your trees’ specific needs

What is the Best Way to Trim a Crape Myrtle?

Whether you are looking for beautiful flowers, a particular canopy shape, or less maintenance effort, crape myrtles, just like all trees, can thrive with proper, natural pruning. While it may take some time to rehabilitate a crape myrtle or other tree that has been topped, even mature trees can be brought back to their natural beauty and health. Consult an ISA Certified Arborist for guidance on your trees’ specific needs.

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees (even the topped ones!) and we love our community! While it may be common in North Texas to top crape myrtles each year, proper, natural trimming is the right choice in any situation. Contact us today to have one of our arborists take a look at your crape myrtles or other trees that may have been topped in the past so that we can help you bring them back to their natural beauty!

Since most of us don’t get tree work done more often than once or twice a year, it can be difficult to predict the cost. Even after getting an estimate from a tree service, understanding the costs that go into trimming or removing a tree can be challenging.

How is Tree Work Priced?

Tree trimming prices are usually based on man hours for the work requested and amount of debris to be hauled away. Factors such as location, timing, equipment needed, and safety requirements can also increase the price of tree work. If additional work is added the day of the job, this may not be included in the original estimate.

What to Look for in Tree Work Price Estimates

Whether it is called a bid, work proposal, or estimate, reputable tree trimming companies will always submit job pricing in writing for customer approval. In addition to pricing, this document should contain the basic information about the company, including the legal name, address, and contact information. There will also be certain legal language, terms and conditions, that both the tree company and customer agree to follow. Sometimes these terms are printed on the bid, and sometimes they are online and simply referenced. Always be sure to ask to see the terms and conditions before agreeing to an estimate.

The “Big 3” Considerations When Hiring a Tree Service

• Reviews/Reputation

  • What can you find out about a tree trimming company online?
    • Google, Yelp, Facebook, Nextdoor, and similar sites can not only provide a star rating or score, but feature reviews and feedback from actual customers.
  • Is it easy to find contact information for a tree service?
    • Are there multiple contact options? (Phone, email, text, live chat)
  • When reading reviews, pay attention to how the business responds to both good and bad feedback.
    • Do they try to resolve customer concerns or just ignore criticism?

• Insurance

  • Tree trimming and removal can be tricky; reputable tree services will always have insurance, usually several types, to cover any unforeseen occurrences.
    • Commercial General Liability
      • Provides basic coverage for when the company is at fault for damage or injury
    • Vehicle
      • Covers damages related to motor vehicles and their operation
    • Personnel
      • Covers the tree service’s workers
    • Umbrella Coverage
      • Overlaps with other types of insurance to provide greater protection
  • In many states, there are no requirements to carry specific insurance.
    • Ask a prospective tree service about insurance to make sure you are protected if something happens while they are on your property.

• Credentials

  • Reputable tree services will employ ISA Certified Arborists
    • The International Society of Arboriculture is the premier arborist training and certification organization in the world.
  • Most states do not offer a license in arboriculture.
    • With few exceptions, a “licensed arborist” is not a real credential
  • Contact your local ISA chapter or agricultural extension service to see if there are additional credentials specific to your area
    • In Texas, for example, ISA Certified Arborists can obtain the Texas Oak WIlt Qualification, reflecting additional training in management of the oak wilt disease
  • Experience and credentials go hand-in-hand
    • Be wary of professionals saying that they have experience and don’t need training
      

Additional Factors in Tree Service Pricing

• Haul Away/Clean Up

  • Does the work estimate include hauling away the debris?

  • What is expected in the clean-up process after work is completed?

• Seasonal Considerations

  • Are there additional expenses during a particular time of year?

    • For example, painting cuts on oak trees during oak wilt season

• Recent Events/Weather

  • Was there just a big storm? Access for private companies to municipal resources like a greenfill might be restricted or the fees increased.

  • Increase in pricing and availability of fuel or equipment may lead to increased costs or reduced availability.

Don’t always go with the lowest estimate! When our owner, Amy Langbein Heath, was starting out as an arborist, she gave a bid to a friend to remove a tree with a rotten trunk. The friend decided to go with a removal estimate that was about half the price of Texas Tree Surgeons. Amy reminded her friend to ask for the company’s insurance, especially because it was a potentially difficult and dangerous removal.

A few hours into the removal, the tree crew dropped part of the trunk onto the garage and power lines. Rather than take responsibility, and probably because they were not insured, the tree trimmers left, and Amy’s friend was unable to get in touch with them. Trying to save a little bit on the tree work led to damage to her home and power outages that cost well beyond what Amy’s friend would have paid to a reputable company.

Research into the best way to care for trees is constantly being conducted, and it is critical to keep up-to-date on the best practices. Traditionally, the general rule has been that fall and winter are the best times to trim trees, but new research has shown that this is not always the case. Trimming a tree during the peak growing season (generally spring or early summer) means that the tree has more energy to devote to healing cuts made while pruning. When cuts are made during dormant periods, trees are unable to heal as efficiently and completely, and there is a greater chance that decay, disease, and insects will be able to prey on the exposed wood before healing can begin in the next growing season. However, it may still be the best practice to trim certain trees during dormant periods if there are specific disease or insect considerations, or fruiting/flowering is desired.

What to Consider When Trimming a Tree

• Why is the tree being trimmed?

  • Is this just maintenance pruning, or is there a specific objective?

• Is the tree healthy?

  • Sick or stressed trees need extra care, and should not be trimmed as aggressively as healthy ones.

• What kind of tree is it?

  • Certain species of tree handle the stress of trimming better than others, and different kinds of trees sometimes have different yearly growth patterns.

• Are there active diseases/pests in the area?

  • Many tree diseases have cycles of infection risk throughout the year.

  • Insects have periods of higher activity and dormancy.

• Contact an ISA Certified Arborist to assess your trees before trimming.

  • Local arborists will be aware of area-specific concerns.

Recommended Timing for Tree Trimming

• Winter

  • Fruit trees for production

• Spring

  • Heavy pruning and large limb removal

  • Aesthetic trimming and shaping

  • Structural pruning of young trees

• Early Summer

  • To stimulate food storage

• Late Summer

  • Trees that flower on previous year’s growth

• Fall

  • Older trees that need to increase energy reserves

• Fall/Winter

  • Oak tree trimming in North Texas to avoid oak wilt season

• Special Considerations

  • If a tree has suffered root damage, avoid trimming for at least two years to reduce stress and encourage recovery.

  • Dead, broken, or hazardous limbs should be removed when possible to avoid risk to persons, animals, and structures.

  • Storm- or frost-damaged trees may need remedial pruning out of season.

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! We are committed to staying up-to-date on emerging research in arboriculture, and doing our part to keep North Texans informed about how best to care for their trees. Through continuing education and internal training, our team of ISA Certified Arborists ensure that their advice and guidance is accurate and in keeping with the highest standards of practice. As always, if you wonder when is the best time to trim, or have any other questions about your trees, let us know!

As the weather turns cooler, trees begin to grow dormant. This period is characterized by a slowing of food production and the browning and dropping of leaves. When the leaves begin to fall, it is the perfect time to trim your trees! Even trees that keep their leaves in the winter (live oaks, cedars, pines, etc.) do enter a dormant period that is best for trimming.

The Farmers’ Almanac is predicting another frigid winter for early 2022. While we hope for a reprieve, even a mild winter can bring with it increased storm activity. Snow, sleet, ice, and freezing rain all contribute to increased weight on tree limbs and can sometimes push them to the breaking point — literally!

During the winter there is less stress in general to trees in our area. Decreased insect activity during the cooler months leads to less damage to trees. This is also the same for fungal and bacterial pests, which are less active and less likely to infect a tree this time of year. In North Texas especially, our generally mild winters are a welcome break from the intense (and possibly damaging) heat of summer for trees and people as well!

Why Is Fall Better Than Summer for Trimming Trees?

Trees, like people, are stressed in the summer due to heat and lack of water. When trees are heat-stressed, they are more likely to be negatively affected by additional stressors like diseases, insects, and pruning. Trimming the trees during the fall and winter reduces environmental stressors and gives trees time to heal trimming wounds, helping prevent infestation, rot, and dieback.

Why Should I Trim My Trees Before Winter Storms?

In February 2021, we had historic freezing temperatures and snowfall, and a similar freeze is predicted for Winter 2021-2022. Removing dead and broken branches reduces the chance of debris falling from your trees and causing damage. Making sure that trees are now too weighty on the ends of branches or stressed at weak joints can help prevent breakage. Having an ISA Certified Arborist inspect your trees can help you know about potential root issues or other stability problems that may cause total failure. While no one can be absolutely certain about what a season will bring, being a proactive and responsible tree owner can protect you and your property.

How Can You Tell If a Branch Is Dead Or Dying in the Fall and Winter?

Even if a tree does not have leaves, there are many ways to identify dead or dying sections. Dead and dying branches will quickly start to lose bark, showing smooth wood underneath. Insects and rot are attracted to dead wood, and can be identified by the presence of discoloration or holes underneath falling bark. Fungus activity, especially visible fungal conks (mushrooms) on limbs or the trunk of a tree means that there is dead wood in that area. If a tree or branch is visibly hollow, it has lost interior support wood, and could break at any time.

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our community! While losing limbs is part of a tree’s natural life cycle, trees in our urban forest can pose a serious hazard to people and property when their branches fall. The extreme weather events we have had in the past few years have taken a great toll on our North Texas trees, but with a little preparation we can help preserve the trees we have. Contact us today to have an arborist out to evaluate your trees and prepare them for winter weather!

At Texas Tree Surgeons, we love trees and we love our customers, and we hate to see a beautiful crape myrtle topped and turned into a twiggy mess. Even if a crape myrtle has been topped for many years, it can be restored through a simple care program. Proper trimming, combined with allowing new growth to mature, can go a long way toward repairing the damage caused by topping. Fertilization can also help with encouraging healthy growth. Ask a certified arborist to evaluate and make recommendations for your specific trees.