Tree Trimming & Pruning in Joliet, IL

Tree trimming and pruning are often what keeps a tree from needing removal later. A well-pruned maple loses fewer limbs in a summer thunderstorm, an oak cut at the right time of year stays clear of oak wilt, and a young tree trained early grows into a sturdy shape instead of a weak fork. In Joliet we prune trees of every age, from fast-growing subdivision maples that are starting to brush the roof to century-old trees on the east side that have not been touched in decades.

What good pruning looks like

Professional pruning in the US follows the ANSI A300 standard, which sets out how and where cuts should be made. In practice that means cutting just outside the branch collar, the swollen ring where a branch meets the trunk, so the tree can seal the wound. It means removing a limited share of the live crown at one time, because taking too much starves the tree. And it means no topping. Cutting a tree's main stems back to stubs causes a mass of weak sprouts that break easily and decay at the cut. If a quote anywhere promises to top a tree, ask for a different approach.

Types of pruning we do

• Deadwood removal: taking out dead and dying branches, the most common source of falling limbs.
• Clearance pruning: lifting branches over a roof, driveway, sidewalk or street, and away from siding and gutters.
• Crown thinning: removing select branches to reduce weight and wind resistance without changing the tree's shape.
• Crown reduction: shortening long limbs back to strong side branches where a tree has grown too large for its spot.
• Structural pruning on young trees: choosing one main leader and removing competing stems before they form weak forks.

Timing matters for oaks

Oak wilt is a serious tree disease in Illinois. The fungus spreads between oaks through grafted roots, and sap beetles carry it to fresh wounds in spring and early summer. Red oaks, including northern red and pin oaks common in Chicago-area yards, can die within weeks of showing symptoms. White and bur oaks hold up better but can still be damaged. The standard Midwest advice is to avoid pruning or wounding oaks from April through October. We schedule oak pruning from late fall through winter, after a hard frost. If an oak is damaged in summer and has to be cut, the wound is covered right away.

Timing for other trees

Most shade trees, maples, lindens, honeylocusts and elms among them, can be pruned in late winter while dormant. The branch structure is easy to see without leaves, and the tree has the whole growing season to start closing wounds. Maples may drip sap from winter cuts, which looks alarming but does not hurt the tree. Trees that bloom in spring, such as crabapples and serviceberries, are best pruned right after they flower. Dead, broken and storm-damaged branches should be removed whenever they are found.

Near wires and the street

ComEd manages the trees around its lines and trims along main distribution lines on a multi-year cycle, using directional pruning rather than topping. Branches touching or close to a line should be reported to ComEd (1-800-334-7661), not cut by a homeowner or a general tree crew. Low limbs over a Joliet street are a city matter if the tree is in the parkway: the Forestry Division prunes parkway trees that block sight lines and signs, and Roadways takes off limbs that get in the way of plows and street sweepers. Call the city for those and save your budget for the trees in your yard.