Pruning
Tree trimming and proper pruning around the lake
Crown reduction, structural pruning, thinning and canopy lifting, handled by climbers who will tell you no before they will top a tree.
Chapter 01
The cuts we actually make
Proper pruning is not one cut repeated on every branch. Depending on what the tree needs, we work with crown reduction to bring the whole canopy down in proportion, structural pruning to correct weak or crossing limbs, thinning to let light and air move through a canopy that has gotten too dense, and canopy lifting to raise the lowest limbs clear of a roof, a dock or foot traffic underneath.
Which of those a tree gets depends on the tree in front of us, not a standard package. We walk it with you first and explain what we are doing and why before a saw comes out.
A Colt Tree Service climber working deep inside the canopy of a large bare oak
Why we will not top a tree
Topping is one of the most harmful pruning practices there is, and we do not do it, at any price. Cutting a tree back to stubs forces a rush of weak new growth that is poorly attached to the trunk, and it usually leaves a tree that needs more work sooner, not less.
If a tree has genuinely outgrown its spot, we will say so and talk you through crown reduction, or removal if reduction will not solve the actual problem. What we will not do is take the fast, damaging cut and call it pruning.
Chapter 03
The trees an aerial device cannot reach
A bucket truck is the right tool for a lot of this work, but not all of it. Steep grades, soft ground that will not hold the truck's weight, and permanent structures in the way all rule an aerial device out on plenty of Lake of the Ozarks properties.
Those trees get climbed instead. It is slower than lifting a crew up in a bucket, but it is how a tree gets pruned correctly when the ground or the layout will not cooperate.
Clearance around utility lines
Where branches are growing into a utility line, we trim to best practice clearance rather than hacking a gap and moving on. It is work we do carefully and regularly around the lake, where overhead lines and mature trees share the same yard more often than not.
"Professional tree service you should consider for your tree pruning or trimming. Reasonably priced. The crew that trimmed my trees was professional and cleaned up everything nicely. They are a top-notch company. Give them a call." Google review from Andy "Pappy" Pappa.
Not every tree gets a bucket truck
Some trees only get pruned right if somebody climbs them.
If your yard slopes down to the water, or a shed or a deck sits under the canopy, tell us when you call. It changes how we plan the work before we ever show up.
Call (573) 347-3330Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, emergencies 24/7
Have a tree that needs shaping, not removing?
Tell us what it looks like and where it sits on the property. We will tell you honestly whether it is a trim, a reduction, or something bigger.