Tree Service in Loudon, TN

Tree Service in Loudon is mostly for people who have lived with their trees a long time. Census figures show that 93.5% of residents lived in the same house a year earlier, one of the highest rates around Knoxville, and 21.1% are 65 or older. Loudon is the county seat of Loudon County, on the Tennessee River southwest of Knoxville. It was settled in the 1790s, incorporated in 1850 and named after Fort Loudoun, the colonial-era fort several miles south in Monroe County.

In a town that old and that settled, the trees are often as much a part of the family as the house. We see a lot of very large shade trees in older neighborhoods, many of them planted by a previous generation. Our job is usually to keep them going safely, not to take them out.

Pruning older trees the right way

Mature trees don't respond well to heavy cutting. Removing large limbs leaves big wounds that decay, and stripping out the inner branches (sometimes called lion-tailing) pushes weight out to the tips. For old trees in Loudon yards, we usually recommend:

• Removing dead, broken and hanging limbs
• Shortening a few long limbs that reach over the roof, cutting back to a strong side branch
• Clearing the roof, chimney and gutters by a few feet
• Leaving the rest of the crown intact

That follows the ANSI A300 pruning standard most professional tree care uses in the U.S.

When removal is the right call

Some trees can't be saved: a trunk hollowed out by decay, a split fork that is opening wider each year, or a tree that has lost most of its roots. When we recommend removal, we explain why in writing. For a tree close to the house, we take it down in sections and lower each piece on a rope.

Helping homeowners who'd rather not do it themselves

With so many older residents, we often hear from people who used to handle their own trimming and cleanup but don't want to climb ladders or drag brush anymore. We can set up a simple plan: a visit to deal with what's urgent, then a pruning pass every few years. We note what we did on each visit so the next one starts from there.

River weather

Being on the river means fog, damp soils and the occasional strong storm coming up the valley. After a storm, walk the yard and look for limbs hanging in the canopy, cracks in trunks and trees that have shifted. Hanging limbs, sometimes called widowmakers, can fall without warning days later.

Stumps and replanting

When an old tree does come out, many Loudon homeowners want to plant a replacement nearby. Grinding the stump well below grade and removing the chips makes that easier. If you'd like to replant in the same spot, tell us, and we'll grind deeper and wider so the new tree's roots aren't fighting old wood.

Call (865) 401-8827 or use the form to set up a free look at your trees. Get a free estimate