Tree care in St. Louis

Help My Tree offers St. Louis tree health care, pruning, removal and stump grinding. Start with preservation and identify who controls the site. A city street tree needs a different permission process from a tree in your private yard.[1][6]

By Help My Tree team

Updated 2026-10-25

The right care starts with the tree and the site, not a treatment menu.

Is the tree in public right of way?

St. Louis Forestry describes street trees as those on public rights of way.[6] Sidewalk cutouts and the strip between curb and sidewalk are common examples.[6] Forestry maintains these trees, while trees outside public rights of way are the landowner’s responsibility.[6] The city requires a Permit to Maintain for work on city trees.[1] Ask about the boundary if the tree’s status is unclear. These sources cover the City of St. Louis, not every municipality in the metro area.

What help should I choose first?

A change in foliage or growth belongs in a tree-health discussion. A branch blocking access calls for a pruning objective. A removal request starts with whether the tree can reasonably stay. For a stump, explain the next use of the space. Our services also include air-spade root care, cabling and bracing assessment, and planting with establishment care. None is a default prescription for every yard.

Why plan oak work around the season?

MU Extension reports oak wilt as widespread across Missouri.[3] It recommends avoiding the high-risk pruning period from mid-March through mid-July.[3] Construction damage can also create wounds, so include nearby work in the planning conversation.[3] If you suspect disease, MU points to its Plant Diagnostic Clinic for verification.[3] A website description cannot establish what is wrong with a particular tree.

What is our approach to soil care?

Our yearly care service includes a soil test and written report. Our rule is to test before adding anything. Many trees need no fertilizer.[8] Mulch does more for less is our starting position, not a promise for every site. A five-year soil study found woodchip mulch the most cost-effective individual treatment.[12] MU Extension says fertilizer does not correct poor drainage or careless planting.[8] Ask what evidence supports each addition and what changes should be watched. The annual visit should help decide what the tree needs, including the possibility that it needs no fertilizer.

What happens after a removal?

Discuss wood, stump grinding and planting as separate parts of the work. The city excludes stumps and logs from ordinary yard waste.[14] Iowa State recommends considering a new planting position rather than the exact old tree site.[5] If planting in city right of way is proposed, Forestry’s permit process includes site inspection and location approval.[1] Do not assume an empty space beside the sidewalk is an unrestricted planting spot.

Questions about this work

Can I apply the city rules throughout the county?

No. Give the property’s municipality when requesting work. The City of St. Louis sources on this page do not establish rules for nearby jurisdictions.

Who writes this information?

The Help My Tree team prepared this page using the sources linked below. General guidance does not replace an assessment of your tree.