Named for a grove of oaks in 1858

Tree Service in Oakdale, MN

Oaks to protect, ash to plan for and buckthorn to pull out of the understory.

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Living Up to the Name

Tree Service in Oakdale begins, fittingly, with oaks. The township took its name at its first meeting in November 1858 from a grove of oak trees near the original town site, and plenty of big oaks still stand in older neighborhoods and along the wooded edges between subdivisions. Oaks are long-lived and tough, but they have one serious weakness here: oak wilt, which spreads through fresh wounds and through roots grafted between neighboring trees. How and when an oak is cut matters more than almost anything else we do in this city.

A city that pays attention to trees

Oakdale has held Tree City USA status from the Arbor Day Foundation for 27 consecutive years. The city forestry department works to control Dutch elm disease and oak wilt on public and private property, maintains trees on city land and boulevards, and gives away 200 free trees each April at its Arbor Day event. That tells you something about the neighborhoods: there are a lot of young trees in the ground here, and plenty of mature ones worth protecting.

Ash: a decision every owner faces

Oakdale declared emerald ash borer a nuisance in 2010. The city's flyer for residents is direct about it: symptoms can take years to show, treatment has to be repeated every few years and is no promise the tree survives, and badly infested trees will need to come down. In December 2021 the city council accepted a $100,000 state grant, matched with in-kind work, for removing infested ash and protecting boulevard and park ash. We can tell you whether a private ash is still a good candidate for treatment or whether removal is the more sensible spend.

Buckthorn in the understory

If your yard backs onto a wooded strip, odds are good there is common buckthorn under the oaks. Oakdale runs a yearly volunteer buckthorn removal event, offers residential curbside buckthorn pickup and lends out weed wrenches for pulling small plants. Larger stems are a different job. Buckthorn crowds out oak seedlings and makes it hard to see the base of your big trees. We cut and remove established buckthorn stands, and we can leave the area ready for you to treat resprouts or replant.

Between the highways

Oakdale is bounded roughly by Highway 120, County Road 13, I-694 and I-94, and the 45th parallel runs through the city near Upper 35th Street. Within that rectangle you find 1970s and 1980s neighborhoods with oaks left standing during construction, alongside newer areas annexed into the 1990s. Oaks that survived construction often lost roots to grading, and some decline decades later. Thinning dieback and dead wood from those trees in the dormant season is common work for us here.

Typical Oakdale jobs

Winter pruning of oaks over roofs and driveways
Ash removal or a second opinion before treatment
Clearing buckthorn and brush from the back lot line
Stump grinding after removals
Storm cleanup, including hangers left in tall oaks

Call (651) 374-8562 for a walk-through and written quote.

Oakdale Facts

Tree City USA. Oakdale has held Tree City USA designation for 27 consecutive years and holds an annual Arbor Day tree giveaway; the city's EAB flyer lists 200 free trees each April.
Oak wilt and Dutch elm control. The city forestry department lists controlling Dutch elm disease and oak wilt on public and private properties among its objectives.
EAB response. Oakdale declared emerald ash borer a nuisance in 2010, and on December 14, 2021 the council approved a $100,000 state grant for removing infested ash and protecting boulevard and park ash.
Buckthorn programs. The city runs an annual volunteer buckthorn removal event, a residential curbside buckthorn pickup and a weed wrench loan program.
Name and setting. The name comes from a grove of oak trees near the original town site, proposed in 1858; the city incorporated on March 12, 1968 and had 28,303 residents in 2020.

Our Services in Oakdale, MN

Oakdale Questions

When is the safe time to prune oaks in Oakdale?

Late fall through winter, when the beetles that carry oak wilt are not active. If a storm forces a cut during the growing season, the wound should be painted right away. We plan routine oak work for the dormant months.

Two of my oaks died in the same summer. Is that oak wilt?

It is a real possibility, because oak wilt moves between neighboring oaks through grafted roots. A lab test confirms it. If it is oak wilt, removing the trees properly and breaking the root connection to healthy oaks nearby is what matters next.

Can you clear buckthorn without damaging my oaks?

Yes. Buckthorn is cut at the base and dragged out by hand where needed, so there is no heavy equipment over the oak roots. We can stack it for the city's curbside pickup if it is running, or chip and haul it.

Is treating my ash cheaper than removing it?

Usually in the short term, which is what the city flyer says too. Treatment has to be repeated every few years, though, and it only works on trees that are still fairly healthy.

Free Estimates in Oakdale, MN

Free estimates for Oakdale homeowners, oak or ash.

Call (651) 374-8562 Free Estimate