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4.6

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Avatar for THE BRANCH
THE BRANCH
4.9(
180
)

Serving Vista, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 1986

Free estimates

Credit card accepted

"Trevor and his team showed up at about 7:30 a.m., right on schedule, and went straight to work. They were a skilled team, courteous, professional, and careful to prevent damage to the property and belongings (AND the inhabitants) as they dismantled the two trees. The job took less time than estimated and they were finished by 10 a.m.. That included time to trim two other trees I asked them to take care of while they were here. (I paid extra for that service.) They did a superb job removing the trees and grinding the stumps down to below ground level. Trees removed and trimmed, the team performed an excellent cleanup of the debris from the work. I would hire them again and recommend them to anyone needing tree services."
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+12

Response time1 day
Response rate93%
Recommended by98%of homeowners
Avatar for Lifetime Tree Service
Lifetime Tree Service
5.0(
30
)

Serving Vista, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2024

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"I just can’t say enough great things about this company . True professional! Amazing tree removal.. such hard workers and the price was so fair !! They really know what they are doing and will positively give them a five star recommendation! Left our property is immaculate condition. Margaret Russ"
Tree Trimming
Tree Trimming
Tree topping
Tree topping
Tree topping

+46

Response time6 hrs
Response rate100%
Avatar for Maya's Landscape & Tree Service, Inc.
Maya's Landscape & Tree Service, Inc.
4.7(
32
)

Serving Vista, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2002

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"It was great. Good price, and they finished the job before others even responded to my request. Very friendly guys, and they cleaned up more than they had to. Will hire them for my next landscape project, hands down."
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+30

Response time1 day
Response rate88%
1 neighbors recently requested a quote
Avatar for Juan's Tree Service & Landscaping
Juan's Tree Service & Landscaping
4.8(
56
)

Serving Vista, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2018

Free estimates

Warranties offered

"Juan called me shortly after posting. He said he could come over within an hour to look at the job and he was prompt. He quoted me a fair price and said he’d be over at noon the following day. He and his team were prompt. They had to use hand tools to remove the weeds due to a follow up project in a couple of weeks. The team did a great job of cleaning up the surrounding area. I would definitely hire them again."
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Response time7 hrs
Response rate98%
4 neighbors recently requested a quote
Avatar for C & H Gardens Artistic Landscape & Tree Service
C & H Gardens Artistic Landscape & Tree Service
4.5(
130
)

Serving Vista, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 1978

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"A job performed perfectly. Kent is professional and knowledgeable about the work he does and is an absolute pleasure to work with. I will definitely call him again when I need more landscaping done."
Del Mar
Del Mar
Del Mar
Del Mar
Encinitas

+19

Response time1 day
12 neighbors recently requested a quote
Recommended by88%of homeowners
Avatar for Gutierrez Tree Service, Inc.
Gutierrez Tree Service, Inc.
4.9(
52
)

Serving Vista, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2004

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Gutierrez Tree Service is a professional business! Based on our experience of trimming 4 Queen Palms, we give them a thumbs up; this is a legitimate company, not some guys dropping business cards around the neighborhood; they make a statement as soon as they show up to your house with their work truck - it lets you know you hired the right crew; licensed and bonded; punctual; well prepared to provide you with a service for a fair price; courteous; clean and knowledgeable. We had 3 different estimates done for the job, but after meeting Martin we were impressed with his professionalism! We recommend this company and will be calling on them again in the future! Great job guys!"
Response time8 hrs
Response rate87%
33 neighbors recently requested a quote
Avatar for Green Canyon Landscape & Tree Service, Inc.
Green Canyon Landscape & Tree Service, Inc.
4.5(
140
)

Serving Vista, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2016

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Had them come out for an estimate of reworking my irrigation, trimming and possibly landscaping (I already had a landscaper). Showed up on the day stated, on time and got after it! Got my irrigation repaired for less than other estimates, with practices that will save me money and hired them for follow-on landscaping that surprisingly came in under what I was paying for lesser service. I highly recommend Ed and his team. They rock!"
What we do
Response time1 day
7 neighbors recently requested a quote
Recommended by96%of homeowners
Avatar for La Costa Tree Service & Maintenance, Inc.
La Costa Tree Service & Maintenance, Inc.
4.7(
60
)

Serving Vista, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2020

Free estimates

Credit card accepted

"La Costa came right away to give us a bid and came the next day to use their chipper to chip the branches of our 14 trees that were trimmed by our gardener. They finished the job quickly and cleaned up the area. Their price was really good and their service was excellent. I would hire them again if I need our trees trimmed, instead of having our gardener do the trimming."
Canary Palm
Carlsbad location
La Costa Trucks
Palm Pruning
Queen Palm Pruning

+24

Response time8 hrs
Response rate94%
3 neighbors recently requested a quote
Avatar for New Green Earth Tree Care
New Green Earth Tree Care
4.9(
49
)

Serving Vista, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

Super Service Award Winner

In business since 2015

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Great job! Very professional. Work was done safely and efficiently considering the limited access and the high height of the trees. Cleanup was excellent. Full work crew provided for quick work. Trimmer was arborist and knew how to properly trim. Very through job! Fair competitive price. Will use again!"
Vista Phoenix Canariensis
Vista Phoenix Canariensis
LaJolla Pinus Canariensis
Melaleuca quinquenervia
Response time4 hrs
1 neighbors recently requested a quote
Recommended by87%of homeowners
Avatar for Wulfscape Inc.
Wulfscape Inc.
5.0(
22
)

Serving Vista, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

Super Service Award Winner

In business since 2021

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"These guys are a wonderful team! They are quick and do an amazing job. They are fair priced and they do a great quality of work. I appreciate their finished project and as a a parent I appreciate they helped with a much needed project for our family. Recommend over and over for any of your landscaping needs. Our fence in impeccable and their work is a dream! Hire them"
Golf Course Project
Response time6 hrs
10 neighbors recently requested a quote
Recommended by76%of homeowners
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Showing 1-10 of 122
Arborists questions, answered by experts

In most cases, leaving tree roots underground is not a problem if the stump has been removed or ground below the soil. However, some larger roots may decompose, leaving dents in your soil. Additionally, some aggressive trees, including willows, oaks, elms, maples, and poplars may grow back from roots. Large aggressive trees with established root systems are more likely to grow back.

Ideally, you should wait to prune until trees have gone dormant in late fall to early winter. The worst times to prune trees are early fall and late summer, as pruning them so close to dormancy makes it difficult for the tree recover before it goes dormant for the season.

There are several methods to hollow out a tree stump, and the best one depends on your tools, experience, and priorities. Common methods include using a chisel and hammer, a chainsaw, or burning.

  • Chisel and Hammer: This is often considered the easiest approach for those with limited tools or experience, though it is the most time-consuming.

  • Chainsaw: Using a chainsaw is the fastest method, but it comes with significant safety risks, especially for inexperienced users.

  • Burning: This can be an effective method, but it is not recommended unless you can first drill holes into the stump. Without holes, the stump will be difficult to light and may not burn completely through.

A power drill with at least a ⅜-inch diameter bit can make the job quicker and easier, regardless of the primary method. While you can use a chisel or chainsaw without a drill, it will require more time and effort. Always wear protective goggles and thick gloves, as splinters are an inevitable risk.

Tree removal can be quite expensive, especially for larger projects, but you can use the following tips to help keep costs down:

  • Do the yard cleanup afterward yourself

  • Choose to leave the logs on your property and split them yourself

  • Opt to leave the stump in the ground and tackle stump grinding yourself

  • Pull permits for tree removal, if necessary, to avoid fines

  • Pay to have multiple trees removed at once

  • Remove tree in the late winter or early spring during off-season

You’ll have to balance up the cost, the value of the tree (sentimental or otherwise), and the risk factors. An experienced arborist will help you understand whether transplanting is likely to be successful. The cost and hassle of transplanting a large, well-established tree are often not worth it, especially if the species is fast-growing and easy to source. The decision depends on the age and species of the tree, the conditions in the new site location, and how careful the company is when digging out and moving the tree.

The Vista, CA homeowners’ guide to arboricultural services

From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.