Pruning is the selective cutting of dead, heavy or low limbs so a tree stays sound and clears the roof, gutters and service wire. Randolph houses built into the woods often have one sided crowns reaching over the house, which is when trimming pays off. A typical price is $300 to $1,500 per tree, depending on size and whether a climber is needed.
Because so many Randolph houses were set into existing forest, the trees around them grew up competing for light. That often leaves long, heavy limbs reaching out over roofs and driveways while the side facing the woods stays thin. Good pruning evens that out. A crew removes dead wood, shortens overweight limbs back to a healthy side branch, and lifts low branches that brush cars on the way up a sloped driveway. The tree keeps its natural shape and carries less weight where it can do damage. On a wooded lot it also lets more light reach the lawn and helps a damp, mossy roof dry faster after rain.
Clearance is a big part of trimming here. Gutters on wooded lots fill quickly, and branches that rub the roof wear shingles and give squirrels a route inside. Many Randolph streets also have overhead lines, and the wire running from the pole to your house can end up surrounded by branches. Your pro can explain what they can safely prune near the service drop and when JCP&L, the electric utility that serves Randolph, needs to be involved first. Cutting back limbs that overhang a neighbor's property is another common request, and it is worth talking with the neighbor before the crew arrives.
Ask about timing for your species. Randolph has a lot of oak, and arborists commonly advise avoiding oak pruning in spring and early summer, when fresh cuts can attract the beetles that spread oak wilt. Late fall and winter are a good time for most pruning because the leaves are off and the crew can see the structure. Be cautious of any offer to top a tree. Cutting big limbs to stubs leads to weak regrowth and decay, which is the opposite of what a tall tree on a windy ridge needs.
Signs you need tree trimming and pruning
- Limbs resting on the roof or filling the gutters every fall
- Low branches scraping cars on a sloped driveway
- A heavy, one sided crown reaching out from the woods toward the house
- Branches closing in on the service wire to the house
- Dead branches dropping onto a deck or patio
Questions about tree trimming and pruning
When is the best time to prune oaks in Randolph?
Arborists commonly recommend pruning oaks from late fall through winter and avoiding spring and early summer, to reduce the risk of oak wilt. Your contractor can confirm timing for the specific trees on your property.
Can trimming make a tree on a ridge less likely to fail in wind?
Thinning a dense crown and reducing overlong limbs lowers the load the tree carries in wind. It does not make any tree storm proof, but it can reduce the chance of large limbs breaking.
Who trims branches near the lines on my street?
Lines between poles are generally the utility's responsibility. The service drop to your house is different, and your pro can tell you what they can work near and what needs a call to JCP&L first.
Worth knowing in Randolph
Removing trees in Randolph runs through a Tree Protection Permit filed with the township Planning Division; residential lots need a sketch or marked survey, and cutting may begin within 48 hours after the Planning Division is notified and the permit is approved.
randolphnj.orgTropical Storm Isaias in August 2020 knocked out power to about 9,400 Randolph households, roughly 88% of the township, with some outages lasting six days.
patch.comRandolph's Liberty Tree, dating to 1720, was removed on August 31, 2018.
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