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Tree Trimming in Placerville

A short coast down the hill from Camino lies Placerville, the county seat, and it's on our map. Dial (530) 248-6054 about your oaks, your fruit trees or that limb over the roof. We'll book a nearby pro to look.

Town facts

An old town with old trees

The 2020 census counted 10,747 people in Placerville, the El Dorado County seat. The county government moved over from Coloma in 1857. The city blends old streets, hillsides and newer neighborhoods.

Downtown sits near 1,867 feet. Wikipedia says the unincorporated areas around it range from 1,800 feet to nearly 4,000. That is a big spread, and it matters for trees. A yard at the bottom may rarely see snow. One at the top may get plenty.

Wikipedia also says the town got its nickname Hangtown after a hanging from an oak tree on Main Street. Oaks have been part of this town's story from the start. Gold Bug Park & Mine, an old hard-rock mine, is now a museum with tours.

Rain and cuts

What a wet year means for pruning

Rain here averages 38.11 inches a year over about 66 wet days. That's a lot of damp calendar to plan around.

Rain matters when you cut. UC says the spores of the Eutypa fungus are released in rain, mainly from fall through spring, and they infect through pruning wounds. That's the reason apricots and cherries wait for July and August in this part of the state.

The same wet season helps fire blight on pears. UC says that disease does best when warm days bring rain or hail. So a pear that got sick last spring needs a close look this spring.

Healing matters for other trees too. The International Society of Arboriculture finds cuts close best when pruning comes ahead of the spring flush. Aim for dry days in late winter.

Oaks

Big oaks near homes

Oaks are the main tree in the older parts of town. The UC Master Gardener oak sheet makes two points. One: big level limbs over a house, walkway or driveway ought to go. Two: summer branch drop comes on hot, calm days, and even sound limbs can fail.

So the thick horizontal limb over the garage may deserve a look in spring, before August heat. A pro can tell you if it needs shortening. Read more on limbs over the roof.

Prices

What trimming costs here

Placerville prices follow the national guides. Homeyou puts tree trimming at $212-$688, with an average near $486. Fixr lists an oak at $175-$1,500. Taking off a few big branches runs $168-$486 at Homeyou.

Tight lots and steep slopes cost more. So do wires. The pro sets the number after standing under the tree.

Tight lots

Old streets, close trees

Older neighborhoods have houses close together and trees close to both. A limb that hangs over a fence may be over your neighbor too. Talk to them before the pro arrives, so nobody is surprised by a truck or a chipper.

Tight yards also change the job. The pro may have to lower limbs in small pieces to protect roofs and fences. That takes more time, and it shows up in the price. Ask how the pro plans to protect the roof, the garden beds and the driveway.

Close by

Nearby

Close by are El Dorado, Diamond Springs and Pleasant Valley. See orchard pruning, or the Camino home page.