Fort Worth Tree Pruning Cost

One of the most important tree maintenance practices, tree pruning offers a large number of benefits. When done right, tree pruning can help restore the tree’s health, improve safety on your property, and enhance the tree’s ambiance and beauty.

If some of the branches on your tree are battling a pest infestation or a disease, removing the branches will not just give your tree a chance to heal itself, it will also keep the disease from spreading to other trees on your compound. Loose branches can fall unexpectedly, causing damage to your home or injuring someone – removing these branches in advance will help you avoid heavy repair costs and hospital bills.

Before inviting professionals to your home to help with pruning a tree, chances are, you will want to know the tree pruning cost to expect. This will help you prepare yourself financially. In this guide, we will take a deeper look at Fort Worth tree pruning cost – we will show you how various factors affect the price you pay to prune trees.

Average Tree Pruning Cost in Fort Worth

In Fort Worth, the tree pruning cost ranges from $200 to over $1,500, with the average cost hovering around $460.

Tree pruning is a combination of both art and science – without enough knowledge of these 2 disciplines, it is impossible to do an impressive job. The “art” part of pruning involves understanding the shapes to give different tree species. The “science” part involves figuring out which branches you should remove and using the correct method to get rid of the branches.

Working with professionals helps you avoid damaging your tree irreparably. It also reduces the risk of property damage and injuries to zero. The amount you spend on the tree pruning cost is much less compared to the amount you would need to invest in repairs and hospital bills if you attempt to prune your trees and end up making mistakes.

Factors Affecting Tree Pruning Cost in Fort Worth

From the tree pruning cost range, you have probably noted that different trees have varying pruning costs. The main factors that affect the tree pruning cost in Fort Worth include:

1. Tree Size

Bigger trees will have a higher pruning cost compared to smaller trees. This is understandable considering that the larger trees will require more effort, involve more risk, and require special tools, unlike the shorter trees.

For trees under 30 feet, you should expect to spend between $75 and $400. For mid-sized trees – that is, those whose size ranges between 30 and 60 feet, you should expect to spend between $150 and $800 on the tree pruning. Trees exceeding 60 feet can have a tree pruning cost as high as $1500 or more.

2. Tree Health

Compared to pruning diseased or pest-infested trees, pruning healthy trees is much safer. If a disease affects the tree’s branches, there is a chance some of the limbs are not strong enough to support the weight of the tree pruning experts. This means that they will have to use special tools to improve safety when pruning your trees.

It is also worth noting that diseased trees often need more services than healthy trees. In addition to pruning, the trees may need prescriptions to treat their health complications and pesticides to eliminate the pests. The medications and pesticides may require you to pay some additional money.

3. Type of Tree

Different trees have varying pruning requirements, not to mention they have varying height. This often affects their tree pruning costs. Below, we will look at the tree pruning cost for different types of trees:

Queen Palm – Palm tree pruning cost ranges from $100 to $1500, depending on how tall your tree is. Palm trees in Fort Worth have a height of between 20 feet and 80 feet.
Pine Tree – Pine trees have a pruning cost of between $200 and $1,500. The average pine tree grows to have a height of between 40 and 100 feet. However, some pine species rarely exceed 30 feet while the white pine can exceed 150 feet. Some species may present a lot of complications for the tree pruners, requiring special tools and more time to prune.
Fruit Trees – Very few fruit trees exceed a height of 30 feet. This means that the fruit tree pruning cost is much lower, ranging from $100 to $400.
Crepe Myrtle Trees – Depending on the species you have at home; Crepe Myrtle grows anywhere from 3 feet to 30 feet. On average, they will cost $75 to $400 to prune.

In addition to having varying heights, different tree species will have varying levels of hardness. For example, hardwood trees are much harder to saw through – this often raises their pruning cost.

Tree species that have thicker branches often require more time to prune. It is not uncommon for this to raise the tree pruning cost.

4. Tree Location

Some trees are located on an open field, where the tree pruners can use their bucket trucks to prune the branches at the top of the tree. These trees have a lower tree pruning cost.

On the other hand, some trees grow in inaccessible areas – for example, behind your house or next to more than one utility line. To prune such trees, a tree pruning professional will have to climb it – this poses more risk and takes more time. Inaccessible trees generally have a higher tree pruning cost.

Fort Worth Tree Pruning Cost for Large Trees

If you have trees over 60 feet tall in your home, you should expect to spend between $800 and $1,800 on pruning. With more limbs that feature larger diameters and with complicated shapes, pruning the trees involves a lot of work and may need special tools. Extremely tall trees – especially those with a height of more than 100 feet – may cost more than $1,800 to prune.

Additional Fort Worth Tree Pruning Cost Considerations

In pruning projects, it is not uncommon for Fort Worth residents to incur extra costs. In addition to spending money on cutting the branches and lowering them slowly, you may have to pay for the materials/equipment and labor needed. As noted earlier, if your tree has a disease or is fighting some pests, you may need some extra money to pay for the pesticide application and disease control.

If tree pruning professionals are based on a significant distance from the tree pruning location, you may incur a travel fee. This, however, is generally unnecessary since you can work with professionals located in Fort Worth.

Factors Influencing the Timing for Tree Pruning

When it comes to timing the tree pruning, numerous factors come into play. The major ones are:

Safety – If your tree is posing a safety risk – for example, it has dead branches and they are threatening to fall or the branches are too close to power lines – you should invest in its pruning as soon as possible.
Health – Pruning allows tree owners to remove diseased and pest-infested limbs. This restores the tree’s health and keeps the pests and diseases from spreading to other trees. If you are pruning a tree to improve its health, the pruning should be scheduled as soon as possible.
Aesthetics – Removing overgrown, dead, or damaged branches improves the tree’s aesthetic appeal. The need to make your property look better can affect your timing for pruning.

How Seasonal Factors Affect Tree Pruning

The best time to invest in tree pruning is when your trees are dormant. Different tree species will have varying timelines for their dormant stage. However, while keeping this in mind, there is a seasonal pattern that you can follow when taking care of your trees. We have described the pattern below:

Spring

In Fort Worth, most tree species are growing actively in the spring season. For this reason, try to avoid pruning the trees. Instead, focus on watering and fertilizing them. Also, if you would like to add trees to your home, this is the period to plant them.

Summer

In the summer, leave your trees alone – do not prune them. Since the weather tends to be dry in the summer, consider watering your trees.

Fall

Most tree species in Fort Worth enter their dormant stage in the fall. This is the best time to invest in pruning work. Work with professionals to conduct major pruning operations – that is, pruning work that requires more than a few cuts.

Winter

Leave strong, healthy trees alone in this season. However, trees that cannot withstand excessive cold and snow should be protected.

If some of your trees enter their dormant stage in the winter, pruning them may be a good idea. Tree service providers are usually less busy in the winter – this means that pruning your trees in this season may allow you to enjoy competitive prices.

DIY Tree Pruning

If your budget is too tight, spending some money on the tree pruning cost may be impossible. If you have pruned trees in the past – meaning you have tree pruning experience – and the trees in your home are not very large – meaning that the job won’t be too risky – you can turn tree pruning into a DIY project and save yourself some money.

Below, we have outlined some of the tips you can use when pruning your trees:

Things to Check Before Cutting a Branch

Branch Size

Feel free to cut branches whose diameter doesn’t exceed 2 inches. Branches with a diameter of 2 to 4 inches should be considered more carefully. Branches with a diameter of 4+ inches should be allowed to stay on the tree – only remove these branches if they are unsafe, broken, dead, diseased, or pest-infested.

Angle

Before cutting branches, check the angle formed at the point where the branch connects with the tree trunk. Branches making a V-angle are safe to remove. Allow branches featuring a U-angle to remain on your tree.

Tree Crown to Tree Height Ratio

When pruning your trees, you should aim for a 2:3 ratio. Avoid cutting more than 25% of your tree’s crown in 1 go.

Tree Pruning Techniques

There are several techniques you can use when pruning your tree. These include:

Crown Reduction

This involves removing foliage and branches from the top of your tree. This technique is only recommended in situations where your tree is posing safety risks or it has health problems that can be gotten rid of through crown reduction.

Crown Raising

This involves removing excess branches from the bottom of the tree. This method is ideal when the tree branches block sidewalks, roads, and driveways. When raising the crown of your tree, remember to keep your branches on at least 67% of the tree’s height.

Crown Thinning

This involves getting rid of excess branches from the top of the tree and the tree’s outer edges. It gives additional room to the remaining branches, allowing them to grow larger and stronger.

During crown thinning, put your focus on getting rid of branches that cross or rub against each other. Between the lateral branches, be sure to maintain even spaces.

How to Cut a Branch When Pruning Your Tree

When pruning a tree, you will need to follow the steps below to avoid making mistakes:

Identify the collar of the branch you intend to saw off. The collar will be available at the base of the branch.
Locate the ridge on your branch. This should be parallel to your branch.
Carefully, cut away from the branches collar and outside its ridge.

The Tools You Will Need When Pruning a Tree

Bypass pruner – A sharp, curved blade, a bypass pruner is ideal for narrow-angled limbs.
Looping shears – These are ideal for sawing off larger limbs.
Pruning saws – You can get both fine-toothed and coarse-toothed saws. The coarse-toothed saws are ideal for branches with a diameter of more than 3 inches while the fine-toothed saws are perfect for limbs with a diameter of fewer than 2 inches.
Pole pruners – Set on a pole and using a rope mechanism for activation, pole pruners are an ideal choice when it comes to pruning branches located high up the tree.
Hedge Clippers – These are perfect for cutting thin stems found on hedges.

Important: Always clean your pruning equipment when moving from one tree to another. Use a cleaner featuring a 70% concentration of rubbing alcohol to kill the germs that spread tree diseases.