Frequently Asked Questions

Usually not on a single-family lot. The City of Tyler's land clearing and tree preservation rules in the Unified Development Code apply to multifamily, commercial, office and manufacturing districts, not to a homeowner taking a tree out of a backyard. Trees in the public right-of-way, HOA rules and deed restrictions are separate questions, and we will point those out if they seem to apply.

Only in small amounts. Tyler's solid waste crews take limbs cut to 4 feet or less, tied in bundles under 50 pounds and set at the curb about 6 feet from the cart, on your regular garbage day. Large limbs or loose brush need a paid Special Pick-up through the city at 903-531-1388. On our jobs, brush and wood are handled as part of the quote, so you are not left with a pile.

Usually not once the needles have gone red. Texas A&M Forest Service says a pine with red needles from an Ips beetle attack is dead, and AgriLife notes it is nearly impossible to save a pine once bark beetles are established. What matters next is where it stands: a dead pine near the house, a road or a line should come down within months, before the wood decays and turns brittle.

It depends on height, how close the tree is to buildings and lines, and access. HomeBlue's 2025 Tyler cost guide puts a typical removal around $900, with most between $300 and $1,600, and a 40-foot tree at roughly $400 to $760. National 2026 guides from HomeGuide and Lawn Love show similar ranges. We price each tree in writing after seeing it.

Oncor, for the lines running pole to pole. Call Oncor at 888-313-6862 if a tree is growing into them; Oncor removes the part that threatens the line and does not haul off the brush. The single wire from the pole to your house is the homeowner's responsibility, and Oncor can disconnect it temporarily so the tree around it can be pruned safely.

Late fall through winter suits most deciduous trees here: leaves are off, structure is easy to see, and storm season has not started. Dead or broken limbs over a roof can be cut any time. On pines, avoid wounding healthy trees during hot, dry stretches, since fresh wounds and stress draw bark beetles.

You can call (903) 636-8096 any time to leave details about a fallen tree or hanging limb, and calls are worked in order of danger: trees on houses, blocked driveways, then limbs hanging over walkways. If a tree is touching a power line, stay back and call Oncor or 911 first.

No. Greg Grant, the Smith County horticulturist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, has long argued against topping crape myrtles: it leaves permanent knobs and a crowd of weak shoots, with heavy blooms that flop after rain. Thinning to a few main trunks and removing suckers keeps the plant healthier; if it is simply too big for the spot, replacing it with a smaller variety works better.

A small or medium tree with open access is often done in a few hours. A large pine or oak over a house, with every piece lowered on ropes, can take most of a day or longer. We give you an expected timeline with the quote.

Some marks are normal where equipment and logs move. We plan routes, use plywood or mats where needed and avoid driving on soft ground after heavy rain when we can. In wet weeks, red clay soils around Tyler rut easily, so we may suggest waiting a few days.

Usually yes, but a tree on the property line belongs to both owners, so talk with your neighbor first. Branches over their yard may need to be lowered from their side, which means getting permission for access.

Not the parts near energized lines. Oncor handles vegetation near its pole-to-pole lines and can be reached at 888-313-6862. Once the line area is clear, we can remove the rest of the tree.

Often the opposite. Dead wood breaks unpredictably, so climbing and rigging take longer and sometimes need a lift. HomeGuide notes dead trees often cost more than expected because of the added safety risk.

As little as gets the job done. Guidance built on the ANSI A300 standard warns against removing a large share of the live canopy at one time, since the tree needs its leaves to recover. Mature trees in particular should be pruned lightly and selectively.

The service wire from the pole to the house is the homeowner's responsibility in Oncor's area, but it may need to be disconnected first for safe work. Oncor arranges temporary disconnects at 888-313-6862, with a charge. Lines running pole to pole are trimmed by Oncor's crews.

Texas A&M Forest Service describes oak wilt as killing oaks at epidemic levels in Central and West Texas, which is where spring pruning cautions get the most attention. Even so, we prefer to do major oak pruning in late fall or winter and make clean cuts year-round. Broken or hanging limbs should be removed whenever they happen.

Young trees benefit from light structural pruning every few years. Mature shade trees usually need attention every three to five years, or after a storm. Trees that hang over a roof may need clearance more often.

It can reduce the risk. Removing dead limbs, shortening long heavy ones and thinning a dense crown lowers the load wind and ice put on the tree. It does not make a tree with a decayed trunk or roots safe, and we will tell you if that is what we see.

For a lawn, typically several inches below the surface, enough to cover with soil and grass. If you want to plant something in the same spot, we can grind deeper and wider. The depth is written into the quote.

Most roots die once the stump is gone, but some species can send up sprouts from remaining roots. Sprouts can be cut back as they appear; they usually stop after a season or two.

Yes, but it is easier just off to the side. Wood chips and decaying roots in the hole settle and tie up nitrogen as they break down. If you want the exact spot, have the chips removed and the hole filled with soil.

Yes. Grinding goes below the surface, and Texas 811 (811 or 800-344-8377) arranges for public underground lines to be marked. Private lines, such as irrigation or a line to a shop, are not marked, so tell us where they run.

It often helps when a tree falls on a covered structure such as the house, garage or fence, though limits apply. A tree that falls in the open yard without hitting anything is often not covered. Check your policy and call your insurer early; photos of the damage before cleanup help.

In many cases your own homeowners policy handles damage to your house, regardless of whose tree it was. If the tree was clearly dead or dangerous beforehand, the insurers may sort out responsibility between them. Your agent can explain how your policy works.

Small limbs on open ground, perhaps. Anything touching a wire, resting on a house or bent under tension should be left to people with rigging gear. Spring-loaded wood can snap back hard when cut.

Report trees blocking public streets to the City of Tyler, and to Oncor or 911 if lines are involved. If the tree came from your yard, we can clear the parts on your property.

Rarely. AgriLife says it is nearly impossible to save a pine once bark beetles are established, which is why prevention through watering in drought and protecting roots matters. Insecticides are sometimes used on single high-value trees before attack, but are not recommended for residential spraying.

Not as beetle control. Texas A&M Forest Service says cutting a ring of healthy trees around infested ones is not recommended for Ips beetles, which tend to hit scattered trees. Healthy pines are worth protecting, not removing.

Fresh kills still hold red needles; after that the needles drop, bark starts to loosen and fall, and small branches break off. A pine that is bare and shedding bark has usually been dead long enough that the wood is getting weak.

You can, once it is split and dried, though pine burns faster than seasoned oak or pecan. Wood from freshly infested trees should not sit stacked beside living pines; AgriLife advises disposing of infested wood promptly, so we can chip it or haul it away if you prefer.

Inside the city, clearing rules apply in multifamily, commercial, office and manufacturing districts under the Unified Development Code, while the Agricultural Zone is exempt. Outside city limits in unincorporated Smith County, clearing private land is less regulated, but HOA covenants and deed restrictions can still apply. Check before work starts on a new subdivision lot.

It depends on how dense the brush and trees are. A lightly wooded acre may take a day; a dense pine and hardwood thicket with many stumps can take several. We give a time estimate with the quote.

Yes. Selective clearing of yaupon, vines and small saplings under existing oaks and pines is one of the most common requests on wooded East Texas lots. It opens the view and lets air move without losing shade.

Usually it is chipped or mulched on site, which is often the cheapest option and leaves a ground cover. Logs can be stacked for firewood or hauled away. Hauling everything off costs more because of the volume.