Trimming here means clearing big shade trees off roofs, gutters, chimneys and the service wire while keeping their shape. Older Morristown trees with past topping cuts often need their crowded sprouts thinned so they do not break in ice. The regional range for pruning one tree is about $300 to $1,500.
Pruning is where many Morristown homeowners spend their tree money, because a well kept old shade tree adds a lot to a house on a tight street. The work usually starts with dead wood, which falls on cars, porches and sidewalks if it is left up. Then come clearance cuts: lifting limbs over a driveway, pulling branches back from a slate or shingle roof, and opening space around chimneys and gutters. A thoughtful crew stops there instead of removing more live wood than the tree needs to lose, which keeps it from pushing out a flush of weak new growth.
Topping is a problem worth watching for in an older town. You can still see trees around Morristown that were cut back to stubs years ago and have since grown a crown of upright sprouts, each attached weakly at the old cut. Those sprouts get heavy and can break in wind or ice. Correcting that takes skill: the climber thins the sprouts, keeps the best placed ones, and reduces the weight over time. Ask the contractor to walk you through which branches come off and why before the climb starts.
Timing matters for some species. Late winter is a popular time because the leaves are off and the crew can see the structure clearly. Oaks are an exception worth knowing about: arborists commonly advise against pruning them in spring and early summer, when fresh cuts can attract the beetles that spread oak wilt. Also tell the crew about anything delicate below, such as a glass porch roof, a garden, old stone walls or a car that cannot be moved, so they can rope limbs down rather than let them drop.
Signs you need tree trimming and pruning
- Limbs rubbing a slate or shingle roof or filling the gutters
- Dead branches over the sidewalk, driveway or parked cars
- Upright sprouts crowding an old topping cut
- Branches growing into the service wire to the house
- Low limbs blocking the view at a driveway on a busy street
Questions about tree trimming and pruning
Can I trim a street tree in front of my house?
Check with the town first. Trees in the strip by the curb are often town trees, and Morristown's Shade Tree Commission looks after the town's trees. Your pro can help you find out who to ask.
How often should a big old maple or oak be pruned?
Many mature shade trees do well with an inspection and pruning every few years. Trees with old topping cuts or past storm damage may need more frequent attention to keep the weight in check.
Can the crew work without a truck in my driveway?
Usually. A climber can do most pruning from inside the tree, and brush can be carried out to a chipper parked on the street. Ask how they plan to stage it.
Worth knowing in Morristown
In 2026 Morristown won a $758,735 NJDEP Natural Climate Solutions grant to plant about 180 street trees in the Second Ward and about 300 trees in Burnham Park.
morristowngreen.comA severe thunderstorm on July 14, 2016 brought down many trees and limbs at Fort Nonsense, closing the site until repairs were done.
nps.govThe town has an active Shade Tree Commission that runs an annual Arbor Day planting and a multi-year forest restoration at Jacob Ford Park.
morristown-nj.org