What's different about tree work in the country
Bigger trees with more room
Country homesteads often have the largest single trees in the county: oaks and hackberries that have stood by the house for a century. With open ground on at least one side, some can be felled whole, which is much faster and cheaper than sectioning. A pro still has to judge the lean, the decay and the fall line carefully.
Barns, sheds and fences
Trees grow up beside outbuildings, along fence lines and around old well houses. A hackberry or cedar that has grown into a fence, or a limb resting on a barn roof, is a common call. Tell the pro about any livestock, gates that need to stay closed, and anything stored in the building under the tree.
Long driveways and soft ground
Gravel drives, low-water crossings and wet pasture limit where a bucket truck or crane can go. After a rainy spell, heavy equipment can rut a field or a yard badly. Describe the access when you ask for an estimate, and be ready to wait for dry weather if the ground is soft.
Rock
Much of rural Maury County has limestone close to the surface. That keeps roots shallow, which is part of why trees here tip over whole in wet windstorms, and it limits how deep a stump can be ground. See stump grinding.
Trees that come up most
- Hackberries along fence rows and around homesteads, often with decay and heavy limbs.
- Eastern red cedars that seeded in along fences and around buildings, and tip over on thin soil.
- Ash in yards and along creeks, dying from emerald ash borer. Read the ash borer guide.
- Sycamores, box elders and cottonwoods along the Duck River and its creeks, where bank erosion undercuts roots.
- Old oaks and black cherries by the house, often worth keeping with good pruning.
Trees near the river and creeks
Homes near the Duck River and along the county's creeks deal with trees on eroding banks and in flood-prone ground. A tree leaning over the water toward a house, a bridge or a driveway is worth a look after every high-water event. Disturbing a stream bank can require state approval, so before any stump or root removal right at the water's edge, ask the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) whether a permit applies.
Power lines on rural roads
Rural lines run long distances along roads and across fields, and trees near them are a big cause of outages. The utilities trim around their own lines, often on a cycle; the line from the pole to your house or barn is handled differently. Never cut near any line yourself. Read trees near power lines in Columbia, TN.
Firewood, brush and burning
Out in the county, many homeowners keep the logs for firewood and have the brush chipped or piled. Burning brush on your own land is generally allowed with a free state burn permit during fire season; check with the Tennessee Division of Forestry first. If the tree was an ash, keep the firewood local; moving it spreads the borer.
This page is about trees around homes and farm buildings. It doesn't cover clearing pasture, fence lines or acreage for building.
Cost out in the county
Open ground can make a removal cheaper; travel time and difficult access can push it up. The cost guide explains the factors, and grouping several trees into one visit is the easiest way to keep the price down.