At the time of the damage: cut root ends showing in a trench wall, a scraped or re-graded surface inside the root area, ruts, a compacted pad where equipment or materials sat, or fresh fill spread over the roots. Later, and this is what most people actually notice: leaves smaller than usual, fall color arriving weeks early, dead twigs at the top and outer edges of the crown, sprouts erupting along the trunk, and a canopy thin enough to see sky through. The damaged side of the crown usually goes first, matching the side that was dug.
Within days
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The tree lost part of its absorbing root system and, wherever soil was compacted, the pore space its roots depend on for oxygen. Tree roots are shallow and wide — most of them in roughly the top foot of soil and extending well past the dripline — so a trench that looked comfortably far from the trunk usually was not. Compaction does comparable damage and is invisible from the surface. And roots cut on one side means anchorage lost on that side, so this is a stability question as much as a health question.
This is normally a hazardous tree removal job, which around here runs $800 to $5,000 depending on size and access. Treat that as a range, not a quote — nobody can price it without seeing it.
1744 Sugar Creek Trail, Greenfield, IN 46140
“We were so grateful for Gaddie’s Tree Service. They are fabulous!!!! We had to wait do bad rainy weather, but once Gaddie’s got here they took care…”
BJ Cheesman · a year ago · Google
2067 Sunshine Dr, Greenfield, IN 46140
“We had a few things updated/upgraded on our property and cannot say enough good things about Doctor Tree & Landscape Specialists. They are truly…”
Brian Cross · a year ago · Google
5067 W US Hwy 40, Greenfield, IN 46140
“This company is very courteous and friendly. They are prompt and fast at what they do. I had three large silver lead maples trimmed, seven dead ash…”
Zach Bailey · 7 years ago · Google
52 525W, Greenfield, IN 46140
“Had a tree fall on my home, my mother knew one of the employees (Conner) he got in touch with Scott who came from near Indy all the way to Fort Wayne…”
Jacquelin Clark · 4 years ago · Google
646 S 600 W Building #5, New Palestine, IN 46163
“This is the second time we have hired Holmes for tree work at our home. A few years ago they removed a tree that was too close to our home and did an…”
Jennifer Kost-Barker · 2 months ago · Google
4621 S Brooklawn Dr, New Palestine, IN 46163
“I was fortunate to have Shawn Miller replace a large three in one window in my residence. He was extremely thorough removing the exterior cement…”
Ric Vega · 5 years ago · Google
1768 W 900 N, Fortville, IN 46040
“Pro Finish did a great job for us. Jesse was a great communicator, and his crew was professional and easy to work with. We had three trees in the…”
James Barnard · 3 months ago · Google
6041 Middle Dr, Indianapolis, IN 46235
“This company helped my business finish a huge landscape job that we needed a professional arborist for. They filled my call, got me a quote within…”
Integrity Lawns · a year ago · Google
7427 W San Marco Dr, Fortville, IN 46040
“I want to leave a review for this business for the outstanding job they did. From the time I first contacted them till the very end everyone was…”
S Martin · a year ago · Google
12732 Castilla Pl, Indianapolis, IN 46236
“I woke up on Tue Apr 28 to find a 50 foot tree uprooted and leaning against my house, making creaking noises and threatening to crash through the…”
James McDougall · 3 months ago · Google
9618 Pepperidge Dr, Indianapolis, IN 46235
“Saw an ad on Instagram and didn’t expect much, but boy was I wrong! I was immediately contacted and put on the schedule at my earliest convenience…”
Cassidy Conn · 2 months ago · Google
507 S Post Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46239
“I give this company 10 stars!! We had turned in the fact that this huge tree at the NW end of a church's lot prevented drivers from safely crossing…”
Amy L. Allison · a month ago · Google
Distance measured from Greenfield.