The four pruning cuts that matter
Proper pruning is a small vocabulary done well: a removal cut takes a branch back to the branch collar (never flush to the trunk); a reduction cut shortens a limb back to a lateral at least one-third its size; a thinning cut removes select branches to let light and air through; and a heading cut is used only to train young trees. Every cut we make in Crowley is one of these, placed deliberately — not a guess with a chainsaw.
Crown cleaning, raising & reduction
Crown cleaning removes dead, dying, diseased, and crossing branches to improve health and safety. Crown raising lifts the lower canopy for clearance over roofs, sidewalks, and driveways. Crown reduction shortens and lightens the canopy — used to reduce end-weight on over-extended limbs or clear utility lines — always with reduction cuts back to laterals, never by topping.
Why we never top trees
Topping — cutting branches back to stubs — is the most damaging thing you can do to a mature tree. It triggers weak, poorly-attached watersprouts, opens large wounds to decay, and destroys the tree's structure and form. ANSI A300 prohibits it, and every reputable arborist refuses to do it. If a Crowley tree service offers to "top" or "round over" your tree, that is your signal to walk away.
The 25% rule & oak-wilt timing
No more than about 25% of a tree's live canopy should come off in a single growing season, and no cut should exceed one-third of the parent stem's diameter without a structural reason. For oaks in Crowley, we do not prune February 1 through June 30 (oak-wilt beetle season) without immediate wound sealing — safe oak pruning runs July through January.
Young-tree structural pruning
The highest-value pruning you will ever buy is on a young tree. A few correct cuts in the first 5–10 years establish a single dominant leader and well-spaced scaffold branches — preventing the co-dominant stems and included bark that split mature trees apart in storms. We offer multi-year structural pruning plans for new Crowley landscapes.
Free pruning estimate in Crowley
Every pruning estimate in Crowley is free and written, with the specific cuts and standards spelled out before we start. Call (817) 670-4404 or request a quote online.