Tree & shrub care
Tree and shrub care in Longview & East Texas
Pruning, shaping and seasonal care for East Texas trees and shrubs, each one cut in its own window. Quoted after a free walkthrough.
- 5.0 on Google from 143 reviews
- Free written estimate within a day
- Same crew every visit, never subcontracted
Who does tree and shrub care in Longview, TX?
Yard Dog Landscapes is a family-owned crew in Longview, TX, founded in 2017 and rated 5.0 stars across 143 Google reviews. We prune and shape trees and shrubs, thin crepe myrtles instead of topping them, remove small trees and shrubs, clear dead lower limbs and storm debris, and haul off every cut. Price depends on how many plants you have, their size and condition, and what each one needs, so we quote after a free walkthrough. Send a quote request and we'll get back to you within a day.
What we do
Tree and shrub care starts with knowing what you're looking at. Live oaks, post oaks, crepe myrtles, hollies, azaleas and boxwoods all want different timing and different cuts. We prune for the plant's health first, then for the look you want, and we make our cuts at the branch collar so the wound can close.
We're not the crew that tops crepe myrtles into stumps. We thin them, take out crossing and rubbing branches, and limb them up so the bark shows, and we bring back trees that were topped for years. We also clear dead lower branches that shade the lawn, take out small trees and shrubs that have died or outgrown their spot, refresh the mulch around tree bases, and haul off every limb when we leave.
- Pruning and structural shaping
- Crepe myrtle thinning and recovery of topped trees
- Shrub trimming and dead wood removal
- Removal of small trees and shrubs
- Dead lower limbs cleared off shade trees
- Seasonal fertilizer feeding for trees and shrubs
- Mulch refresh around tree bases
- Storm cleanup and limb haul-off
How the job goes
Late winter is the main pruning window here. Crepe myrtles get thinned in February while they're dormant and before the buds break, and knockout roses get cut back hard the same month. Spring bloomers like azaleas and camellias wait until right after they flower, and oaks are left alone through spring and early summer because of oak wilt.
Walk the property
We identify each tree and shrub, flag what needs work and what should be left alone, and send a written quote.
Schedule by species
Crepe myrtles and knockout roses go in February, azaleas right after bloom, hollies and boxwoods in early summer, and oaks outside spring and early summer.
Make clean cuts
Cuts go at the branch collar, sized to what the plant can close. We thin instead of topping.
Clean up and haul off
Limbs, trimmings and sawdust are raked up and hauled away before we leave.
Follow through
Recovery work like a topped crepe myrtle takes two or three winters, so we plan it out and come back each dormant season to finish it.
Our tree and shrub care work
Real jobs by our crew, with where they were built. Tap any photo to see the whole project.
Oak wilt and crape murder are local problems
East Texas is oak country, and we have oak wilt. The fungus spreads partly through beetles drawn to the fresh sap of a pruning cut, and they're most active in spring and early summer. We prune oaks in the dead of winter or the heat of late summer. When a storm-broken oak limb has to come off, we cut it clean and paint the wound with pruning sealer right away, the one case where sealing a cut helps.
Drive down Judson Road in August and you can pick out the topped crepe myrtles by their tight mop of flowers at one height. Topping makes the tree grow back taller on weaker wood. A Natchez wants 25 to 30 feet no matter how it's cut. If the tree is wrong for the spot, the fix is a smaller variety, not a saw.
Tree & Shrub Care questions
Something else on your mind? Ask us in the quote form.
How much does tree and shrub care cost in Longview, TX?
We don't publish a price for tree and shrub care because it swings with how many plants you have, their size and condition, and what each one needs. A light shaping on a few shrubs is a very different job from recovering a row of topped crepe myrtles. The walkthrough is free, and you get a written, itemized quote. Send a quote request and we'll get back to you within a day.
When should crepe myrtles be pruned in East Texas?
February, while the tree is dormant and before the buds break. Take out suckers, crossing branches and dead twigs, and keep cuts up top to pencil or finger thickness. Don't top the trunks back to knuckles. A crepe myrtle blooms on new wood on its own. In summer, just snip spent flower clusters to push a second round of bloom.
Can a topped crepe myrtle be fixed?
Yes. The gentle way is to go knuckle by knuckle each February, keep the two or three strongest shoots and cut the rest flush. In three or four years the knuckles disappear into the canopy. If the knuckles have rot in them, the faster fix is cutting the tree to the ground and keeping three to five new shoots as trunks. You lose a year of bloom.
What are the white webs in my pecan tree?
In late summer those are almost always fall webworms. On a mature shade pecan they're mostly cosmetic, since the tree is close to dropping its leaves anyway and comes back full in spring. If a pole pruner reaches the nest and the cut is one worth making, we prune it out. Young or stressed trees deserve a closer look. Never burn nests out of a tree.
Do you remove trees and stumps?
We remove small trees and shrubs that have died or outgrown their spot, and we clear storm debris and downed limbs. We don't take down large trees near the house or grind stumps. That is a job for a tree service with the right equipment, and we'll tell you so on the walkthrough instead of guessing at it.
Tree & Shrub Care near you
We work all over East Texas from our home base in Longview. Pick your town for local details and answers.
Related services
Hedge Trimming
Boxwoods, hollies, ligustrums and photinias shaped by hand, cut at the right time of year, with every clipping hauled off.
Tree Planting
The right tree for the spot, planted at the right depth in East Texas clay, with a watering plan that gets it through the first year.
Mulch Installation
Clean edges, weeds pulled by the root, and mulch laid at the depth that works in East Texas: 1 to 1.5 inches.
From the blog
What customers say
143 Google reviews
“These guys did a great job. They were even sweet and brought my trash can up to the house. Glad we switched to Yard Dog. We’d recommend them to anyone in the White Oak area!”
“I recently hired Miller to clear out my ditch area, and I couldn’t be more impressed with the results. From start to finish, the service was professional and efficient. They cleared the area quickly, removing overgrowth, debris, and ensuring proper drainage. Highly recommend Miller for any type of lawn care!”
“Miller and the 2 young gentleman that did work at my home today were great! Each of them had great manners, respect and worked extremely hard to get the job done. I look forward to using them again in the near future.”
Get a free tree and shrub care quote
Tell us what you need and where. We call within a day, walk the property with you and send a written, itemized estimate. No pressure and no surprise add-ons.
- Free on-site walkthrough
- Written estimate, usually within a day
- Same crew every visit, never subcontracted
- Fully insured, 5.0 on Google from 143 reviews