Trusted Tree Removal & Trimming Service
in Jacksonville
When Is the Best Time to Prune Trees in Jacksonville?
Jacksonville Professional Tree Service schedules most pruning of live oaks and other hardwoods in the dormant season, from late fall into late winter, so wounds get a full growing season to heal.
How much you cut matters more than the date. A crape myrtle chopped to stubs looks tidy for a season and weak for years.
Why Choose Us
- Fully insured crews for hazardous removals and complex jobs
- An ISA Certified Arborist looks at every tree before we quote it
- Free, transparent estimates before any work begins
- Full-service: removal, pruning, stump grinding, and storm cleanup
- Local knowledge of Duval County's sandy soils, hurricane damage patterns, and tree species
- Modern, well-maintained equipment for safe, efficient jobs
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Seasonal Tree Pruning in Jacksonville, FL
Dormant Season Is the Default
For most Duval hardwoods, late winter is the sweet spot. The crew sees every crossing limb, and cuts close before spring growth. Pruning too early can trigger tender growth that a late freeze burns. The University of Florida keeps a woody plant pruning calendar.
Remove no more than about 25 to 30 percent of the live canopy in one season. Dead or broken limbs can come off any month. Near power lines, never touch a line; call JEA or a line-clearance arborist.
Flowering Trees, Palms and Pines
- Crape myrtle: prune lightly in late winter, or just after summer bloom
- Palms: any time, cutting dead fronds only
- Pines: avoid cuts and root damage in drought, since stress draws Ips beetles
Crape myrtles do not need topping to bloom. Our tree trimming and pruning crews remove only suckers, crossing stems and seed heads. See the palm trimming rules too.
Why Topping Backfires
Topped trees sprout weakly attached shoots that snap in wind, and the large wounds invite decay. Jacksonville Urban Forestry also says topping offers no benefit.
How Pruning Should Be Done
Use the Three-Cut Method on Heavy Limbs
An undercut, a relief cut further out and a final cut at the branch collar keep bark from tearing.
No Flush Cuts and No Wound Paint
Flush cuts remove the collar a tree uses to seal itself. Clean, collar-level cuts heal best.
Clean Tools Between Trees
Wiping blades between trees stops disease traveling on saws.
Before Hurricane Season
Trees over about 15 feet should be pruned by a certified arborist before June 1. Our hurricane prep checklist covers the rest of the yard.
When Pruning Is Not the Answer
A pine with fading needles, reddish dust and pitch tubes has Ips beetles and cannot be saved. A tree health diagnostics visit confirms the cause, and tree removal plus stump grinding finish the job.
What Pruning Costs
Trimming typically runs $300 to $900 per tree, and heavy structural pruning of big oaks can exceed $1,200.
Book Your Seasonal Pruning
Call for a free estimate this winter and we will cut only what needs to go and haul everything away.