Tree trimming and pruning in Memphis, TN
Limbs off your roof, dead wood out, and clearance over the driveway. Our climbers prune to the national A300 standard, so your trees come out healthier and better able to ride out Memphis storms.
- Climbers, not bucket hacks
- Never topped
- Dead wood removed
- Full cleanup
Good pruning makes a tree stronger
Overgrown limbs rub shingles, fill gutters, block light, hang over driveways, and come down in the first strong storm. A good trim fixes those problems and leaves the tree stronger than before.
The difference is in where and how much you cut. We cut just outside the branch collar, the swollen ring where a limb meets the trunk, so the tree can seal the wound. We take only what the tree can spare. The International Society of Arboriculture says no more than 25 percent of the crown should come off at once, and less on mature trees. Most of our trims stay well under that.
We follow ANSI A300, the national standard for tree care in the United States. In plain terms, that means clean cuts in the right places, no climbing spikes on trees that are staying, and no topping.
What we trim
- Limbs over roofs, gutters, chimneys, and decks
- Dead, broken, cracked, and hanging branches
- Low limbs over driveways, sidewalks, and the street
- Crowded crowns that catch too much wind
- Limbs growing into the service line to your house
- Young trees that need shaping before they get big
Sources: ISA, Pruning mature trees.
Types of pruning we do
Most trims are a mix of these. We tell you what we plan to cut and why before we start.
Dead wooding
Removing dead and dying limbs before they fall on a roof, car, or person. The most common reason people call us.
Crown thinning
Taking out select branches so wind and light can pass through. A thinned crown catches less wind in a storm.
Crown raising
Lifting low limbs to clear the roof, driveway, sidewalk, or lawn.
Crown reduction
Shortening long limbs back to a side branch to take weight off without topping the tree.
Structural pruning
Shaping young trees so they grow one strong leader and well spaced limbs. It prevents the weak forks that split later.
Cabling and bracing
Steel cables or rods added to a weak fork. The A300 standard is clear that they support a tree, not hold it up, so they go with good pruning, not instead of it.
Sources: TCIA, ANSI A300 Part 3.
Why we never top a tree
Topping means cutting the main limbs back to stubs to make a tree shorter. You see it all over Memphis, and it does real harm. The ISA says topping can remove 50 to 100 percent of a tree’s leaf-bearing crown in one go. The tree answers with a burst of fast, weakly attached sprouts that can grow up to 20 feet in a year. Those sprouts break easily, and the big stub cuts often rot.
A topped tree ends up taller, weaker, and more dangerous within a few years, and it costs more to keep up. If a tree is truly too big for its spot, a proper crown reduction or a removal is the better answer.
The Memphis and Shelby County development code agrees. For landscaping it requires, pruning must follow ANSI standards and may not include topping, lollipopping, or meatballing.
Crape myrtles too
Cutting crape myrtles back to knuckles every winter is a form of topping. It leaves weak sprouts and lumpy trunks. Light, selective pruning keeps the natural shape. Keep an eye out for crape myrtle bark scale too. UT Extension reports it was first found in Tennessee in Shelby County in 2013. It shows up as white, felt-like patches on the bark, often with black sooty mold.
Sources: ISA, Why topping hurts trees, UT Extension on crape myrtle bark scale.
When to trim trees in Memphis
For most trees, late fall through winter is the best time. The tree is dormant, the leaves are off so we can see the structure, and fresh cuts are not exposed to the insects and diseases that are active in warm months.
Oaks
Memphis is full of oaks, so this one matters. The Tennessee Division of Forestry advises against pruning oaks from March through July to avoid spreading oak wilt. It also says oak wilt has been found in Tennessee before, with no recent detections. Pruning oaks in the dormant season is the safe choice either way.
Anytime jobs
Dead, cracked, or hanging limbs should come off as soon as you see them, whatever the season. So should limbs rubbing a roof or blocking a driveway.
How often
Most mature yard trees do well with a trim every few years. Young trees benefit from light structural pruning more often while they are still small.
Trimming near power lines
MLGW trims trees along its lines every three years. It keeps 10 feet of clearance on each side of single-phase and secondary lines, 15 feet on three-phase lines, and 5 feet around service lines. But the service line from the pole to your house is mostly up to you, and MLGW does not remove trees for touching it.
We can prune limbs back from the service drop to your house. For any limb touching a main line on the poles, MLGW or its contractors must do that work, and you can request it through MLGW at (901) 544-6549. Never try to cut a limb that is touching a line yourself.
Sources: MLGW tree trimming.
How a trimming visit goes
You know what is coming off before the first cut.
- Walk the trees with youTell us what bothers you: roof limbs, shade, the driveway, a dead branch. We point out anything else we see.
- Agree on the cutsWe explain which limbs come off and why, and give you one written price.
- Climb and pruneClimbers use ropes and saddles, not spikes, on trees that are staying. Limbs are lowered, not dropped, over roofs.
- Clean upBrush is chipped or hauled, the yard and gutters below are cleared of cuttings, and we walk it with you.
Tree trimming questions
How much does tree trimming cost in Memphis?
It depends on the size of the tree, how much needs to come off, and how easy it is to reach. Trimming several trees on one visit costs less per tree. We give you a written price after we walk the property with you.
When is the best time to trim trees in Memphis?
Late fall through winter for most trees, while they are dormant. Avoid pruning oaks from March through July, which the Tennessee Division of Forestry advises to prevent oak wilt. Dead or dangerous limbs should come off right away, any time of year.
How much of a tree can you cut off at once?
The ISA says no more than 25 percent of the crown at once, and less on mature trees. Taking more stresses the tree and causes weak regrowth.
Is topping bad for trees?
Yes. Topping can remove 50 to 100 percent of the leaf-bearing crown, and the tree responds with weak sprouts that break easily. The Memphis and Shelby County code also bans topping for required landscaping. We do not top trees.
Will MLGW trim the limbs over my power line?
MLGW trims around its main lines every three years. It does not remove trees because they touch the service line to your house. We can trim limbs away from your service drop. Limbs on the main lines must be handled by MLGW.
Do you use climbing spikes?
Not on trees that are staying. Spikes wound the trunk. We climb with ropes and saddles and only use spikes on trees being removed.
Should I cut back my crape myrtles every winter?
No. Hard cutting back to the same knuckles each year is a form of topping. Light pruning to remove crossing branches, suckers, and seed heads keeps them healthier and better looking.
Trees getting out of hand?
Free trimming estimates across Memphis.