How to Tree and Shrub Trimming
Trees and shrubs need regular pruning to stay healthy, maintain attractive shapes, and prevent them from damaging your home. This annual maintenance involves removing dead or diseased branches, trimming growth away from your house, clearing branches that overhang the roof or gutters, and shaping shrubs for appearance and health. Proper pruning encourages healthy growth, improves flowering, reduces storm damage risk, and prevents the moisture and pest problems that occur when vegetation touches your home.
Cost to Skip This Task
Risk $200 – $5,000 in repairs
Why It Matters
Overgrown trees and shrubs can damage siding, clog gutters, block sunlight, and become hazards in storms. Proper pruning also promotes healthy growth and flowering. Prune most trees and shrubs in late winter/early spring while dormant. Exception: spring-flowering shrubs should be pruned right after blooming. Never remove more than 25% of a tree's canopy in one year. Keep all vegetation at least 1 foot from siding.
Safety First
- Never trim near power lines - call your utility company
- Wear safety glasses and gloves
- Do not use a chainsaw above shoulder height or on a ladder
What You'll Need
Tools
- Hand pruners$20
- Loppers$30
- Pruning saw$25
Supplies
- Safety glasses$8
- Work gloves$10
Step-by-Step Instructions
Before You Start
Late winter/early spring is ideal for most pruning (before new growth). Do not prune spring-flowering shrubs until after they bloom.
- 1
Remove any dead, diseased, or crossing branches first
- 2
Cut branches touching or within 3 feet of the house
- 3
Ensure branches do not overhang the roof or gutters
- 4
Shape shrubs to maintain desired form - do not remove more than 1/3 of growth
Make cuts just above an outward-facing bud or branch junction
- 5
Clear low-hanging branches that block walkways or sightlines
- 6
How to Verify Success
No branches touching the house. Dead wood removed. Shrubs are shaped and tidy. Clear walkway access. No branches over the roof.
When to Call a Professional
- Trees are tall (over 20 feet) - arborist $200-800 per tree
- Branches are near power lines (utility company may handle free, or certified arborist $300-1000)
- Large limbs need removal (arborist $150-500 per large limb)
- Tree appears diseased or structurally unsafe (tree health assessment $75-200)
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