What good trimming does
- Clears the house. Branches are cut back from the roof, gutters, screen enclosure and driveway.
- Removes dead wood. Dead and broken limbs are the first things to come down in a storm.
- Thins the crown. Selectively removing branches lets wind pass through instead of catching the canopy like a sail.
- Raises the canopy. Low limbs are lifted so you can walk, mow and park underneath.
- Shapes young trees. Pruning a young oak to one strong central trunk prevents weak splits later.
What to avoid
Topping means cutting a tree's main branches back to stubs. It's sold as a way to make a tree "storm safe", but it does the opposite. The stubs decay, and the fast regrowth is weakly attached and more likely to break. A good company will thin and reduce the crown instead.
Removing too much at once also stresses a tree. A common rule of thumb is to take no more than about a quarter of the living canopy in one season.
What trimming costs
Trimming is priced on site. The size of the tree, how much is being removed, whether the crew can use a bucket truck or has to climb, and how close the work is to the house or power lines all affect the price. Large live oaks over a roof take the most time. Ask whether hauling the branches away is included.
Best time to trim in Ormond Beach
Late winter through spring suits most trees and gets limbs off roofs before hurricane season starts on June 1. Dead or hazardous limbs can be removed any time of year. Mature trees usually need trimming every few years, and young trees benefit from lighter pruning more often while they form their shape.
Trees near power lines
Florida Power & Light maintains clearance around its main distribution lines. Never trim near a line yourself. If a branch touches the line running to your house, contact FPL first, then a tree company can handle the rest of the tree.
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Tree trimming questions
How often should trees be trimmed?
Most mature shade trees do well with trimming every three to five years, plus removal of dead or broken limbs as they appear. Young trees benefit from light structural pruning every year or two.
Will trimming make my tree safer in a hurricane?
Removing dead wood, weak limbs and branches over the house, and thinning a dense crown, reduces the chance of damage. Topping or over-cutting does the opposite.
Is trimming different from pruning?
People use the words interchangeably. Pruning usually means careful, selective cuts for the tree's health and structure, which is what you want from any trimming job.
Can you trim my neighbor's branches that hang over my yard?
In Florida you can generally trim branches that cross onto your property, up to the property line, as long as you don't damage the health of the tree. Talk to your neighbor first, and don't go onto their property without permission.