Kilgore, Texas
Tree & shrub care in Kilgore
Pruning and shaping for Kilgore trees and shrubs, each one cut in its own window, with every limb hauled off.
- Gregg County, Texas
- Free written estimate within a day
- Same crew every visit, never subcontracted
Who does tree and shrub care in Kilgore, TX?
Yard Dog Landscapes is a family-owned crew based in Longview that handles tree and shrub care in Kilgore and around Gregg County. Founded in 2017, we hold a 5.0 rating across 143 Google reviews. We prune and shape trees and shrubs on each species' schedule, thin crepe myrtles instead of topping them, remove small trees and shrubs, and haul off every cut. We quote after a free walkthrough, since no two yards have the same plants. Send a quote request and we'll get back to you within a day.
Tree & Shrub Care for Kilgore yards
Under Kilgore's mature canopy, shrubs and understory trees compete for light and grow lopsided. We prune for shape and health, thin crepe myrtles instead of topping them and lift low limbs that block sun from the lawn, and small trees and shrubs that have outgrown their spot can come out. Every job is quoted after a walkthrough.
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.
What's included
- 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.
Examples of our tree and shrub care work
Real jobs by our crew around East Texas. Each photo says where it was taken.
Tree & Shrub Care questions in Kilgore
Will you top my crepe myrtles in Kilgore?
No. Topping leaves knuckles and a crop of weak shoots that flop under the weight of the blooms. We thin crepe myrtles in late winter instead, cutting back to a branch or the trunk, so they keep a natural shape and bloom well.
How much does tree and shrub care cost in Kilgore, 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.
More we do in Kilgore
Lawn Maintenance
Mowing in Kilgore often means working around trees: surface roots from pecans and oaks, low limbs, and shade that keeps one corner of the lawn growing slower than the rest.
Hardscaping & Patios
We built two Kilgore hardscapes this year: a checkerboard concrete paver patio with gravel joints off a covered porch, and a flagstone walkway with chopped stone borders and path lighting.
Leaf Removal
Kilgore's pecans and post oaks drop heavy through November and into December, and the pines add needles on top.
Landscaping
A Kilgore landscaping job might pair shade plantings with hardscape: a new walk to the front door, a bed reshaped around an old pecan, lighting along a path.
Mulch Installation
With heavy pine and oak cover over a lot of Kilgore, beds catch leaves and needles all year.
Drainage & Grading
Kilgore's sandy topsoil hides the problem: water soaks in fast, hits clay or a hardpan layer, then spreads across flat lots or pools against the slab.
Fertilization
Kilgore's sandy soil, after years of pine needles, tends to test acidic and low on nutrients.
Hedge Trimming
Kilgore's long, humid growing season keeps boxwoods, hollies and ligustrums pushing new growth from spring into fall.
Get a free tree and shrub care quote in Kilgore
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