Tree Pruning

Wondering how to tell whether your tree needs pruning? Pruning keeps your trees healthy, safe, and looking their best. Here are the key signs that let you know it’s time to prune:

• Dead or Diseased Branches:  Try to observe dead, damaged, or diseased branches. They should be cleared to prevent the spread of a disease in a tree and enhance its health.
• Crossing or Rubbing Branches: These are the branches that one way or another cross or rub against one another. This can cause wounds to the tree. It can result in diseases and insect infestation. Pruning ensures the avoidance of such issues.
• Too-Dense Canopy: A thick canopy allows for poor sunlight; restriction of air is not good for the tree and the plants around it. Pruning allows for adequate light infiltration through the canopy and, simultaneously, improves aeration.
• Poor Form or Structure: Pruning is one of the most relevant ways of building an assemblage in trees, especially when they are young. If your tree is uneven, then it is very necessary to prune the plants to guide the right structure and shape.
• Branches that grow in wrong directions: When you find branches reaching too close to any structure, power lines, or other trees, it is time they are pruned back so that all possibilities of hazard are avoided.
• Water Sprouts and Suckers: These are fast-growing vigorous shoots starving a tree of its energy. It is important to remove them during pruning to keep the vitality of the tree intact.
• Safety: The branches that hang over the sidewalks, driveways, and above the rooftops may be dangerous for people in many ways. These should be pruned to avoid a lot of fatal incidents and destruction of property.

Younger, developing trees need pruning every 2-3 years for structural development.

As a tree grows, reaching maturity, its pruning requirement will decrease to every 3-5 years.

A fully matured tree may need pruning only every 5-10 years.

Some fruit trees normally require annual pruning to promote fruiting. Evergreens are generally pruned much less frequently, except when dead or diseased branches need attention.

Regular inspection will be required to determine the timing of such attention since factors such as growth rate, species, and structural health will come into play in determining the best schedule.

If a tree has overgrown branches near your house, it’s important to address the issue quickly to prevent potential damage during storms or high winds. Large branch removal can be performed safely and same-day by our team.

Large branch removal should be considered when branches are dead, diseased, or pose a safety risk. Additionally, if a branch is obstructing walkways, driveways, or structures, it’s important to remove it to prevent potential damage or injury.

Not necessarily, proper pruning doesn’t increase growth. In fact, it helps direct energy into stronger, healthier branches instead of weak sprouts. Over-pruning (like topping) causes fast, weak regrowth that’s more likely to break. We prune to support natural growth, not stimulate it.

Yes! Winter is actually one of the best times to prune most trees. With no leaves, we can see the structure better, and diseases are less active. Dormant pruning also minimizes stress and reduces mess. We work year-round, weather permitting.

We work in NYC properties of all sizes like narrow Brooklyn side yards to tight Manhattan rooftops and backyard gardens with limited clearance.

When large trucks or bucket lifts can’t reach the tree, we use rope access techniques, hand tools, and portable rigging systems to safely climb and remove branches piece by piece. Our crews are trained in urban tree rigging, meaning we can control the descent of heavy limbs using friction devices and directional pulls, even in small spaces.

We also take care to protect your property by placing wooden planks or mats over lawns and garden beds to prevent soil compaction and turf damage. Equipment and debris are carried in and out by hand when needed, and we clean everything up before we leave. If necessary, we can even use compact, all-terrain mini-lifts that fit through standard gates.