Tree Trimming in Wichita, KS

Tree trimming sounds harmless. Most people think, “I’ll call a tree service to help my tree.”But if you are hiring someone to help your tree, make sure they actually understand trees.

Before you hire someone for tree trimming in Wichita, take a minute to understand what proper pruning actually means. Robert Phillips, Board Certified Master Arborist and owner of Wichita Tree Service, explains how arborists think about pruning, when it helps, and when bad pruning can do more harm than good.

What is Tree Pruning?

When I took the Kansas arborist exam, one question stood out; "What is pruning?" The answer they were looking for might surprise a lot of homeowners: pruning is the intentional wounding of a tree. That answer is meant to be a wake-up call. Pruning is not just cutting branches to make a tree look cleaner. Every cut creates a wound, and every cut changes the tree forever.

The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) takes a more straightforward approach. In simple terms, pruning is the removal of parts of a plant, such as branches, shoots, and leaves.

Both definitions are correct. The ISA definition explains what pruning is. The Kansas arborist definition reminds us why pruning should be taken seriously. Every pruning cut removes part of the tree, creates a wound, and affects how the tree will grow in the future.

That is why professional arborists do not simply ask, "What can we cut?" The better question is, "What are we trying to accomplish?"

Why Bad Tree Trimming Can Cost More Than Proper Pruning.

Hiring the wrong company can cost more than hiring a qualified arborist in the first place.

One time I was called to look at storm damage on a maple tree in a backyard. The tree had been badly damaged in a storm, with most of the major limbs broken. The homeowner asked why their neighbor’s maple, which was about the same age, height, species, and location, only had one or two broken limbs while theirs was nearly destroyed.

The answer was the pruning.

Their tree had been heavily lion-tailed by someone they believed was a professional tree service. They had been told that removing the interior branches would let the wind pass through the tree better. That sounds reasonable, but it is not how trees work.

The neighbor’s tree still had a fuller canopy. When the wind hit it, the force was spread through more leaves, branches, and the stronger lower parts of the tree. The damaged tree had been stripped out on the inside, leaving most of the weight and leaf surface at the ends of long limbs. That created more leverage, and when the storm hit, the limbs failed.

That homeowner paid once to have the tree pruned, then paid again to clean up the storm damage. Worse than that, the tree was permanently damaged.

That is why proper pruning matters. A cheaper tree trimming job is not a good deal if it weakens the tree, creates future hazards, or destroys a tree the homeowner was trying to care for.

If Pruning Wounds a Tree, Why Do Arborists Do It?

If Pruning Wounds a Tree, Why Do Arborists Do It?

Because sometimes the benefit is worth the wound.

Most people hire a tree service because they want to help their tree. The problem is that not every cut helps the tree, and some cuts can create bigger problems than the original issue.

This is where an arborist comes in. A good arborist does not just look at what can be cut. They look at what the property owner is trying to accomplish and how the tree is likely to respond. The goal may be reducing risk, improving appearance, providing clearance, removing deadwood, correcting a structural defect, or managing a disease problem.

Sometimes pruning is clearly beneficial. Other times the answer is less obvious.

For example, I often get requests to remove large limbs over houses. In some situations, that is absolutely the right recommendation. In other situations, removing the limb creates a large wound that may never properly close. Years later, that wound can develop decay and become a larger structural problem than the limb ever was.

That is why tree pruning should not be performed by a "yes man" with a chainsaw. The job of an arborist is to help the property owner make an informed decision by balancing the owner's objectives with the long-term health, structure, and risk of the tree.

If you are hiring someone to help your tree, make sure they actually understand trees.

How Do I Know If Someone Is Qualified to Prune My Tree?

Anyone can call themselves an arborist. That does not mean they understand how trees respond to pruning.

Kansas Certified Arborist and ISA Certified Arborist credentials are both good signs. They show the person has taken the time to learn trees beyond just cutting them. An ISA Certified Arborist usually reflects broader arboricultural knowledge, field experience, testing, and continuing education.

Credentials matter, but they are not the whole story. Experience, judgment, and supervision matter too. I would not want someone with only one or two years of experience making major pruning cuts on my trees unless they were working under someone more experienced.

A Board Certified Master Arborist is an advanced ISA credential that shows a higher level of dedication to arboriculture. It requires advanced knowledge, continuing education, and a long-term commitment to the craft.

When you hire a tree company, ask who is actually making the pruning decisions. A good company should be able to explain why the cut is being made, what the objective is, and how the tree is expected to respond.

You can verify certified arborists through the Kansas Arborists Association or the ISA Find an Arborist tool.

Professional Tree Trimming in Wichita, KS

Wichita Tree Service provides professional tree trimming and tree pruning in Wichita, KS and surrounding communities. Our team follows ISA and ANSI pruning standards to help protect tree health, improve structure, reduce hazards, and maintain clearance around homes, streets, sidewalks, and buildings.

To see more images of tree trimming completed by Wichita Tree Service, check out our Instagram or facebook pages