Tree trimming and pruning in Louisville

Trimming keeps a tree healthy and keeps limbs off your roof. Done badly, it does the opposite. Knowing the words crews use makes quotes easier to compare.

Kinds of pruning

• Deadwood removal. Taking out dead limbs before they fall.
• Thinning. Removing some inner branches so light and wind pass through.
• Raising. Cutting low limbs to clear a driveway, sidewalk or roof.
• Reduction. Shortening long limbs back to a side branch.

Avoid topping

Topping means cutting the main stems to stubs. It invites rot and weak regrowth. If a quote says "top the tree," ask for another plan.

When to trim

Late fall through winter, while trees are dormant, is a good time for most trimming. You can see the branch structure and the tree heals well in spring. Dead or hanging limbs should come down whenever you spot them.

Oaks

Avoid pruning oaks in spring and early summer where oak wilt is a concern, since fresh cuts can draw the beetles that spread it.

Street trees

Trees in the public right of way, usually the strip between the sidewalk and the curb, are looked after by Louisville Urban Forestry. Pruning one needs its permit unless you prune less than 10% of the canopy. source

Near power lines

Do not let anyone without line-clearance training work near wires. Call LG&E about limbs on service lines.

What the quote should say

• Which trees, and which kind of pruning
• About how much of the crown comes out
• Whether climbers use spikes (they should not on trees being kept)
• Cleanup and hauling
• Proof of liability coverage

How often

Young trees benefit from light shaping every few years. Mature trees need less, mostly deadwood checks.