Here’s what you can do: start by scratching a small piece of bark off a few twigs on the tree. If the layer underneath the bark is brown and dry, your tree could be in trouble. Continue to look for other signs of a dead tree, including:

• Decay-producing fungi, such as mushrooms, growing at the base of the trunk
• Chipped or peeling bark and cracks in the trunk
• Cavities in the trunk or large scaffold branches
• Dead or hanging branches in the upper crown
• Fine twigs without living buds near the ends of branches, and which fail to leaf-out in the spring

If you spot one or more of these symptoms, it's time for a professional arborist to step in. Get in touch with us right away and schedule a tree-risk assessment. Whittle Tree Service can help you decide if it’s time to remove your tree or if there’s a chance your prized plant can be saved.

The answer is not always as straightforward as we’d like, so we’ve compiled a helpful guide to try and answer this question once and for all. When thinking about pruning, our arborists need to be mindful of the type of tree we’re talking about as well as several other factors like the impact of insects, the trees’ susceptibility to disease, and the surrounding landscaping.

Generally, the best time to prune or trim trees and shrubs is during the winter months. From November through March, most trees are dormant which makes it the ideal time for the following reasons:

• Trees are less susceptible to insects or disease.
• There is less impact on the surrounding landscape and our crew can easily see what they’re doing while all the leaves are gone.
• Trees heal faster, meaning that by the time spring rolls around, your tree will be happy and healthy again.

Tree removal can happen at any season throughout the year, especially when the tree is presenting harm to your property or family.

Yes. If you prefer, we can cut, split, and stack your cut tree. Ask us about pricing for these and other services we offer. We also have firewood available for delivery.

Yes. If the homeowner decides to keep the chips accumulated from the job site, then we can dump the chips (15 yards) anywhere easily accessible. We can also deliver chips to anyone near by upcoming jobsites at no cost! We also use a website called ChipDrop if you are looking for free chips in the future.

You can call us at: 931-212-1340 or fill out the contact form here on the website.

No. There are too many variables to take into consideration. We will need to set up a day and time to meet at the property to give an estimate.

A typical bid/estimate takes 15-20 minutes. The larger the job can require more time to discuss the job itself.

Absolutely, we have heard some companies are charging folks for estimates, but we think that’s outrageous.

We do require a 10% deposit on anything greater than $10,000 worth of work. The office staff will schedule the job and will contact you via phone or email to let you know the expected date of service.

Only 10% on projects greater than $10,000. We do not accept payment until the customer is satisfied with the job being done. We do have all homeowner sign a copy of the estimate upon acceptance of the price given for the work to be done.

You will want to clear your driveway of any vehicles or decorative items that could potentially be in the way. We can assist with what is needed!

No. Most folks are at work when the tree work is being performed. Crews are given every detail prior to arriving to ensure the job goes safely and efficient, with or without you being there. If you are worried or just want to watch the fascinating process, by all means, we will be happy you are home!

Depends on the scope of the work, we usually have crews of 3-5 and professional grade equipment allowing us to safely get the work done faster.

That is a very thoughtful thing to do. Sometimes the neighbors dislike the noise generated from the work we are doing, so it’s always good when they are prepared and notified if possible.

All payments are due upon completion of the job!