Professional Tree Trimming: Pruning the Right Way in West Michigan

Crown cleaning. Removing dead, dying, diseased, broken or weakly attached branches. This is the highest-value pruning for mature trees and dramatically reduces the risk of branch failure during a storm.

Crown thinning. Selectively removing live branches to increase light penetration and air movement. Done sparingly — never more than 25% of the live canopy in a season.

Crown raising. Removing low limbs for clearance over driveways, sidewalks, lawns and rooflines. Common request in Ada where mature canopies overhang homes.

Structural pruning. The most important work we do on young and mid-aged trees. Establishing a single dominant leader and good branch spacing now prevents storm failures 20 years from now.

We do not top trees. Topping — cutting the main leaders back to stubs — is the single most damaging thing a homeowner can pay for. It rots the tree from the inside, produces weakly attached water sprouts, and almost always shortens the life of the tree dramatically. If a tree is too big for its space, the right answer is a proper reduction by an experienced climber, or removal and replanting with the right species.

We also do not flush-cut, leave large stubs, or over-thin. Every cut respects the branch collar so the tree can seal the wound properly.

Most deciduous trees in West Michigan are best pruned in late winter, when the structure is visible and disease pressure is low. Oaks should only be pruned November through March to avoid oak wilt. Dead and hazardous limbs can be removed any time of year. Storm damage gets handled immediately.