Tree Service in Des Moines, IA

Tree service in Des Moines is shaped by weather that swings from one extreme to the other. The city's January nights average below 14 degrees, July afternoons average close to 86, and the airport records about 36 inches of precipitation and 36 inches of snow in a normal year. Trees here also have to ride out spring thunderstorms, straight-line winds and the occasional ice coating. Most of the calls we answer in Des Moines come down to the same handful of questions: is this tree still sound, is it too close to the house or the wires, and what is the safest way to cut it back or take it down on this lot?

August 10, 2020 changed how people look at their trees

The derecho that crossed central Iowa that morning hit Ames, Des Moines and Marshalltown within about two hours, with gusts approaching 120 mph recorded along its path. MidAmerican Energy reported more than 132,000 customers without power in the Des Moines metro, and the city warned that debris cleanup could take up to six weeks. Statewide, an estimate published in 2025 put the number of damaged trees, forest and urban together, at about 7.07 million. Plenty of trees that stayed standing still carry hangers, cracked unions and torn-out tops that have been decaying since. If you have a tree that lost a big limb that summer and never had the wound looked at, it is worth a second look now.

Ash trees are running out of time

Green ash is common in Des Moines yards and parking strips, and emerald ash borer has spread through Iowa. The larvae feed under the bark in winding tunnels that cut off the tree's water and nutrient flow, and untreated ash in an infested area is expected to die. Signs include thinning at the top of the crown, bark flecked off by woodpeckers, D-shaped exit holes and shoots sprouting from the trunk. A healthy, valuable ash can be protected with trunk-injected insecticide; one that has already lost a large part of its crown is usually better removed while the wood is still strong enough to climb and rig safely.

Oaks need the right calendar

Oak wilt is listed among the major tree diseases in Iowa. Sap beetles carry the fungus to fresh wounds, and red oaks that become infected often die within weeks of the first symptoms. The standard Midwest advice is to avoid cutting or wounding oaks from April through October and to prune them after a hard frost or between November and April. We follow that schedule for the red, pin and bur oaks common in older Des Moines neighborhoods and wooded lots along the rivers, and we tell you if a requested cut on an oak should wait.

Drought, clay and crowded roots

Iowa spent 187 straight weeks in at least moderate drought as of January 2024, the longest stretch since the 1950s. Dry years stress maples, spruce and birch in particular, and the damage often shows up a season or two later as dieback, early leaf drop or borer activity. Compacted soil around new construction, narrow parking strips and roots cut for driveways or sewer work make it harder for a tree to recover. Before recommending a removal, we look at whether the problem is the tree or its conditions, and whether deep watering, mulch or a lighter pruning would give it a better chance.

How the work is priced

Every estimate is free and done in person. You get a written quote that lists each tree, the work, the cleanup and the price, so there is no guessing about what happens to the logs or whether the stump is included. Call (515) 762-6977 or use the form to set up a visit.

We work across Des Moines and the rest of Polk County, plus nearby parts of Dallas and Warren counties. Sherman Hill, northwest of downtown, has houses dating to the 1880s and an abundance of mature trees on lots of varying size, and the older blocks around it share the same problem: big trees close to houses, garages and overhead service lines, so most removals there are done in pieces. Suburbs that have grown fast, such as Ankeny, Johnston, Grimes and Altoona, tend to have younger trees, many of them planted at the same time along the same streets, which is exactly how a single pest like emerald ash borer can strip a block. West Des Moines, Clive and Urbandale mix older ranch-house neighborhoods with newer subdivisions, and Norwalk and Pleasant Hill to the south include larger lots near wooded creeks. Each area page explains the local details.