Tree Trimming in Westchester, FL

We thin, shorten, and clear canopies for homeowners and property managers in Westchester, so trees stay off the roof, out of the power drop, and able to let wind pass through them. Free estimates, and the brush leaves with us.

What does tree trimming involve?

Trimming is selective cutting with a reason behind each cut. Dead and broken limbs come out first. Then we thin the interior so air moves through the canopy instead of pushing against it, shorten the limbs that are reaching over the roof or the pool cage, and clear anything growing toward the service line. Cuts are made at the branch collar so the tree can seal them. What we do not do is strip the inside of a tree and leave tufts on the ends, which is called lion-tailing and puts more weight further out on weaker limbs than before. It looks tidy and makes the tree less safe.

When does a tree need trimming?

• Limbs are touching the roof, the screen cage, or the driveway
• Branches are growing into the FPL drop to the house
• Dead wood is visible in the canopy
• The tree has gotten so dense you cannot see through it
• It has not been touched since before the last hurricane
• The canopy is lopsided and the tree is leaning to follow it

The best window is late winter through spring, ahead of June. Work done in the middle of storm season is reactive and everyone is booked.

Why do canopies get dangerous here?

South Florida trees grow year round, so a canopy fills back in fast. Dense canopies catch wind, and because these trees are anchored in a shallow plate over limestone, all of that load transfers straight to the roots. Add the pests: rugose spiraling whitefly coats gumbo limbo and black olive and stresses them, and royal palm bug chews new fronds. A stressed tree drops limbs sooner. Black olive and royal poinciana also grow limbs at weak, narrow angles that split at the union under load, and by the time you can see the crack the limb is already going.

What affects the cost of trimming?

Tree height and how much of the canopy needs work set most of it. A clearance trim over a driveway is a short job. A full reduction on a forty-foot ficus is not. Access matters again, since a backyard tree means every piece gets carried or roped to the front. Debris volume affects hauling. Doing several trees in one visit is cheaper per tree than calling us back three times, so it is worth walking the whole property while we are out.

Should you trim it or take it out?

Trim it if the wood is sound and the problem is shape, weight, or reach. A good reduction brings the center of gravity back over the trunk and buys a healthy tree many more years. Remove it if the structure has failed: hollow base, lifting soil, decay in the main leader, or a root plate cut through by a driveway. Pruning cannot fix any of those, and in that case the tree has to come out. Note also that palms are pruned to a different standard entirely and should not be handled like a shade tree.

Questions about trimming

How often should trees be trimmed?

Most mature shade trees here do well on a two to three year cycle. Anything overhanging a roof, or a fast grower like ficus, is closer to annual. We will tell you which of yours can wait.

Can you trim branches on the power line?

We clear limbs growing toward the drop that runs to your house. The high-voltage primary lines along the street belong to the utility and we do not touch them. We will tell you which is which.

Will trimming hurt the tree?

Not when it is done properly and kept to a reasonable share of the canopy in one season. Over-thinning is what hurts trees. If someone offers to cut a third of the tree off, get a second opinion.

Do you clean up the branches?

Everything is chipped and hauled as part of the price. If you want mulch left for your beds, say so and we will dump a pile where you want it.