Services

TOPPING
Typical dieback caused by topping. Proper tree trimming is science driven art. There is no science that supports the destructive practice of topping a tree.

Topping reduces food-making capacity. Trees require a large leaf surface area to provide food for maintenance and growth. Topping cuts off a major portion of the tree's foodmaking potential and depletes the tree's stored reserves.

Topping stimulates undesirable "water sprout" growth. While removing most of the buds that would form a normal branch system, topping often stimulates the regrowth of dense, unattractive, upright branches (water sprouts) just below the pruning cut. Water sprout regrowth is vigorous. A topped tree will rapidly return to its original height, but will lack its original form


TRIMMING
Tree trimming is where only the lower limbs on a tree are removed.  This is the most popular type of pruning.  Below is a photo showing the benefit of raising the canopy on a tree.  This tree was blocking the view of the house, overhanging the sidewalk, overpowering the landscaping.  The after effect is increased curb appeal.  Look honey we have a front door, landscaping and a bay window!

Crown or Canopy Cleaning This type of tree trimming is removing onlyunhealthy branches.  This is part of routine tree maintenance, all dead anddiseased limbs are removed, limbs to close together or with attachment point to close together are removed. 

Crown or Canopy Thinning In crown thinning the first step is to perform crown cleaning and then go on to remove more branches with a focus on increasing aesthetics, improving light penetration, improving air flow, improving visibility or a combination of the above.  It is not recommended to remove more than 25% of the trees foliage producing limbs in one year.

Crown or Canopy Reduction Canopy reduction occurs where a tree has outgrown its environment and cannot continue to grow upward.  This is most often due to interference with overhead utility lines and is best done as partof a maintenance program where a small portion is removed each year. (always less than 25%)