Tree Service in Lake Elmo, MN

Tree Service in Lake Elmo spans two very different settings. Much of the land inside city limits is still farmland, and in 2020 about 34% of residents lived in areas the Census counts as rural. At the same time, the city is growing fast: 8,069 residents in 2010, 11,335 in 2020 and an estimated 14,161 in 2024, with projections above 21,000 by 2040. That means we work on old farmstead windbreaks and acreage tree lines one day, and on new-subdivision yards the next.

Acreage and windbreaks

Older rural properties often have long rows of spruce, pine, box elder or cottonwood planted as windbreaks decades ago. Those trees age together, and a windbreak that worked well for forty years can start dropping limbs and leaning at the same time. On acreage we usually start with trees near the house, outbuildings and driveway, where a failure would cause damage, and work out from there. Removing a few trees, reducing others and leaving some standing dead trees in low-risk spots for wildlife is often the best value.

New neighborhoods

In the newer parts of town, trees were planted by builders and are mostly young. This is the cheapest and best time to shape them. A small structural cut now prevents a big split later, and lifting low limbs keeps them clear of sidewalks and drives as they grow. Lake Elmo's guidance for replanting after the city removes right-of-way trees is to follow the development's landscape plan, use approved trees and keep new trees at least 15 feet from the curb, outside the right-of-way.

The city's ash removals

Lake Elmo's Public Works crew is removing dead and dying ash on public property and in the road right-of-way, roughly 15 feet back from the curb, starting with trees near public buildings, well houses, park amenities and trails, then roadsides and neighborhood streets. Trees slated for removal are marked with pink paint. The city grinds the stumps, adds black dirt and seeds, but it does not replace the trees, and it is not responsible for removing trees on private property. If the city marked the ash at the road and you have more ash further back, those are yours to decide on.

The lake and the park

The city takes its name from Lake Elmo, where a rowing club trains, and borders the large Lake Elmo Park Reserve. Lots near the water and the reserve tend to have more native oak and more wet ground. On those properties we keep heavy equipment off soft soil and schedule oak pruning for the dormant season.

Typical work in Lake Elmo

• Windbreak thinning and removal
• Clearing dead ash on private land
• Structural pruning for young yard trees
• Stump grinding
• Brush and buckthorn clearing on acreage

Call (651) 374-8562 to set up a free walk-through. Get a free estimate