Veteran-owned | Marion County and Ocala

A multi-year restoration plan for a damaged shade tree

A damaged shade tree does not get its structure back in an afternoon. The plan is a short series of visits, and each one has a finish line.

Request this work (352) 740-6624
A shade tree standing in a residential Ocala yard

Key takeaways

  • Year one reduces weight and dead wood.
  • The next year chooses which sprouts become leaders.
  • After that, the tree can return to ordinary pruning.
  • If the first look shows the trunk cannot hold a crown over the house, the plan stops and we talk about removal.

People ask for "a good pruning" and mean one visit. On a topped oak that is the visit that either starts a repair or repeats the old damage. A written stage is how you know which one you bought. How those old cuts grew back is covered under topped and lion-tailed trees.

Who this job is for

A fit

  • You plan to stay in the house long enough for a second visit.
  • The tree is a keeper and the target under it matters: roof, drive, play area.

Before the crew arrives

Whole-tree photosLast time it was cutWhat you need under the crown

What happens, in order

  1. 01

    Look

    Trunk, old cuts, and what is growing back.

  2. 02

    Decide

    Stage it, or remove it. The reason is said before the saws start.

  3. 03

    Do

    This year's cuts only. Not every sprout, and not a new topping.

  4. 04

    Leave

    You leave with the next stage and the season to book it.

If the work takes more than one visit

Year 1

Dead wood and the heaviest weak growth. Done means those levers are gone.

Year 2

Select the leaders. Done means the crown has a direction.

Year 3

Light structural cuts. Done means ordinary pruning is enough from here.

Start with year one

The request should say the tree was topped or storm-broken, and include a photo of the whole crown.

Request this work (352) 740-6624