It’s time to

trim
the trees
We will soon be in your area,
pruning trees, to provide safe
and reliable electric service.

Save this guide.

Trees are among
our community’s
most beneficial,
valuable and
beautiful assets.
They grace our landscape,
provide cooling shade from
the hot sun and give food and
shelter to birds and wildlife. And
they reduce our energy needs
when they are planted in the
appropriate places. When they
are planted without regard to
surrounding space or are not Keeping power lines clear
properly maintained, however, helps keep your lights on.
they can cause problems that Trees are directly responsible for the
grow worse each year – like majority of our electrical power outages.
unwanted shade, expensive This is one of the major concerns we
removal fees, property damage, face. By trimming these trees before they
hazards to people and other cause an outage, we help create a safer
environment and provide you with the
plantings and disruption of
reliable service you expect.
utility service.

Trees in your neighborhood are scheduled
for pruning in the coming weeks.
This guide is designed to answer your questions about the
pruning process. We employ certified arborists who oversee
the experienced tree professionals contracted to perform the
work. You will not be billed for this service.
Trimming away from
How trees cause
power outages
Tree branches don’t have to
break to cause problems. Limbs
swaying into power lines can
cause widespread outages or
short circuits. Branches that
extend over power lines need to
be removed before high winds,
snow or ice cause them to break
and fall, causing a power out-
age that could affect an entire
neighborhood.
After side trimming
Incorrect Cuts
Topping or shaping
Correct Cuts
How much to prune?
Our crews prune only the trees that may interfere with power
line safety and reliability. The amount of pruning required
depends on several things:
Cutting at nodes
▼ Trimming cycles – Tree limbs are trimmed far enough
back from power lines so they won’t grow back into the
lines before the next scheduled pruning. Our region’s
typical pruning cycle is four to five years.
▼ Tree location – Trees near high-voltage power lines
power lines
must be trimmed more extensively. In cases where
trees are especially close to these lines, it may be
preferable to remove the trees altogether.
▼ Growth rate – Faster-growing trees need to be pruned
more extensively than those that grow more slowly.
Fast-growing trees include black locust, willow, silver
After top trimming maple, mulberry, or yellow poplar, which can grow 15 to
20 feet in just four years.
Right and wrong ways to prune
Your trees will be pruned by experienced professionals, and
After through the work will be supervised by KU’s certified arborists.
trimming While our crews prune trees specifically to ensure power line
clearance, they use pruning methods designed to protect
healthy trees. Branches are pruned where they join with
the tree trunk or parent branch, and cuts are made along
the same natural lines where a tree would normally shed a
branch. The process involves cutting as close as possible to
the branch collar without injuring or removing the collar.
This directional pruning offers many advantages over tradi-
tional tree topping:
▼ Tree growth is directed away from power lines.
▼ Fewer sprouts and suckering require pruning less often.
▼ There are fewer wounds created, and any wounds that
are made heal better.
Between nodes ▼ Pruning can be started when the tree is young, and it is
encouraged to grow naturally.
While some tree owners say they prefer topping or shaping
trees, this requires numerous cuts between nodes, which
can lead to weak suckers, cracks, rot and disease. Topping
ultimately shortens the life of the tree.
Recognizing Tree Hazards
and Determining When
To Remove A Tree
We occasionally find trees that seriously
threaten our power lines and, thus, our ability
to provide safe and reliable service. These
trees may be diseased, weak, dying, leaning
or damaged. In these instances, removal
of these hazardous trees may be the best
solution. The trees may be within or outside
of the right-of-way. While it is the ultimate
responsibility of the property owner to provide
for the safety of trees on their property, evalu-
ating the seriousness of some of the com-
mon defects is best done by a professional
arborist. Regular tree care will help identify
hazardous trees and the risk(s) they present.

We also prefer to remove trees that are in very

close proximity to our power lines, especially
if they would require severe or extensive
trimming if they are not removed. Removal
Free Mulch
in these cases is preferred because intense Small branches are made into wood chip mulch, which is available free to KU
trimming will drastically alter the tree’s normal customers (in truck load quantities only). It is ideal for use in pathways and
appearance. established woody plantings, but it is not recommended for annuals, perennials
or vegetables until it has aged for at least a year.
Other candidates for removal are volunteer
saplings growing under power lines. These
weed trees have no room for future, natural Contact us to learn more about our wood chip giveaway program.
development. Removal of a tree is deter-
mined on a case by case basis. Be assured Removal of Storm Debris
that we will not remove trees without written
During severe weather and emergency situations, our efforts are focused on
permission from the property owner. The one
exception is during an emergency situation
public safety and restoring electric service to all impacted customers as quickly
when the tree poses an immediate threat and as possible. In these situations, our crews do not haul away debris, fallen trees
the property owner cannot be reached. and broken limbs. Such debris is left on site.
What happens next?
In addition to this notification, we also will attempt to notify you by phone with a re-
corded message before we begin our work.

After trees are pruned, small branches may be fed through a wood chipper for the crew’s
disposal. Larger branches are cut, stacked and left behind for the property owner.

Let us know what you think

After the pruning is complete, we may contact you to ask a few questions about your
experience with our tree program. We appreciate and welcome your feedback since it will
help ensure we provide a positive experience in the future.

Contact us with questions

If you have additional questions or need more information about our tree-pruning pro-
gram, please contact us.

What things should I consider before planting?

Important questions to ask yourself

When you plant trees, you are investing in the future. To protect your investment, you
must ask yourself several questions including:

▼ How much space do I have?

▼ Is this the right type of tree for this location?
▼ How tall and wide will this tree be when it matures?
▼ Will this tree enhance my property aesthetically and financially as it matures?
▼ Will the tree be a positive energy conservation addition to my home?
▼ Where should I plant the tree to ensure it does not interfere with overhead power
lines?
▼ Will the tree be able to beautifully mature and fully develop or will it require
constant (and sometimes severe) pruning to exist in the spot I’ve chosen?

Answering all of these questions is essential to good planning. If you plan before
you plant, you will be sure to plant the right tree in the right place. You’ll have a
beautiful landscape you can live with and one that will enhance your entire
neighborhood.

Consider the Tree Being Planted

On the following pages, we have compiled a list of tree and shrub varieties and classified
them - based on their height at maturity – into three zones. These are only suggested
varieties as there are many other good varieties available.
 Cornelian cherry
dogwood Semi 20 Yellow flowers—early spring
Smoke tree 30 Green- and red-leafed varieties
Winter king
hawthorn Semi Semi 35 Red berries in winter
Zone 1: Shrubs Royal star
Zone1:
magnolia Semi Semi 20 White blooms in spring
Large shrubs or small ever-
Sweetbay
greens and hardwood trees
magnolia Semi Semi 30 Tulip-like blossoms in spring
with mature
Ann heights
Magnolia Semi Semi 25 Pinkish-white tulip flowers in spring
ranging from 15 to 30 feet.
Flowering Crabs Semi 25 Choose disease-resistant
Zone 2: tree lilac
Japanese 30 White blooms late spring
Intermediate-height
Red buckeye trees with Semi Semi 25 Red blooms
mature heights ranging from
Akebono
35 fltoowering
75 feet. cherry
Plant these trees 25 Pinkish-white flowers in spring
at least 30 feet away from
Carolina silverbell 25 White bell-like flowers in spring
the nearest power line. These
American
varieties could be considered
hornbeam 35 Ky. native; beech-like foliage
small shade trees or largeornamentals. Their width and height can be nearly equal.
Paw paw 20 Tropical-like foliage, edible fruit
Zone 3:
Witch hazel Semi 15 Winter bloomer
Large shade trees with mature heights of 75 feet or more. Plant these trees at least
Hop-hornbeam Semi Semi 35 Good native ornamental tree
45 feet away from the nearest power line.
Crepe Myrtle 15 Train into multi-trunk flowering tree

Zone 1: Small Trees Zone 2: Intermediate or Medium Trees

Drained Moist Mature
Species Soil Soil Sun Shade Height (ft.) Value and Remarks
Katsura Semi 75 Good yellow fall color
Yellowwood Semi 60 Native; white, pea-like blooms
Aristocrat Pear Semi 45 Best of the ornamental pears
Sawtooth Oak 60 Yellow fall color
Honeylocust Semi 50 Choose patented varieties
Foster Holly Semi 35 Avoid exposure to windy locations
Sourwood Semi 75 Beautiful mid-summer bloomer
American Holly Semi Semi 45 Berries range from red to yellow

Zone 3: Large Trees

Drained Moist Mature
Species Soil Soil Sun Shade Height (ft.) Value and Remarks
Red maple 80 Choose patented varieties
Sugar maple 100 Yellow-orange fall color
River birch 90 Multi-trunk specimen
Ginkgo 100 Choose named varieties
Tulip poplar Semi 150 Shiny leaves; yellow fall color
Sweetgum 125 Maroon-purple fall color
Blackgum 90 Brilliant red fall color
White oak 100 Wide-spreading; slow grower
Bald cypress 150 Ferny needle-like foliage
Zelkova 70 Choose patented varieties
American elm 100 New disease-resistant varieties
Pin oak 100 Sensitive to high pH
Willow oak 75 Excellent shade tree
Red oak 100 Rapid grower of the oaks
White Pine 150 Problems in heavy clay soils
Norway spruce Semi 150 Short, dark green needles
Hemlock Semi 150 Can withstand shearing