Tree Service in Adel, IA

Tree Service in Adel spans two towns in one. Adel incorporated in 1847, making it the oldest town in Dallas County, and it has been the county seat since its early days. It started as Penoach and took the Adel name in 1849. The Dallas County Courthouse, finished in 1902 for about $109,000, still anchors the center of downtown. Around it are older blocks with mature shade trees. At the same time, Census figures show Adel's land area going from about 3.27 square miles in 2010 to 5.34 in 2020, and its population reached 6,153 in 2020.

The North Raccoon River

Adel lies along the North Raccoon River, and the Adel Island dam here is the only dam on the North Raccoon's course. The river corridor carries the floodplain trees typical of central Iowa rivers, and homes near it deal with large, fast-growing trees and wet ground. The Raccoon River Valley Trail, built on a rail line abandoned in 1987, also passes through.

The June 7, 2009 storm

Adel has a clear example of what straight-line wind does to a tree-lined town. That evening, damaging winds entered at Adel's southwest corner and moved east-northeast through the southern and central parts of the city. The NWS survey found "mainly tree damage with little structural damage." Trees were damaged across Hillcrest Golf Course, and just east of it, along Prospect Avenue, several large trees were blown down. A few trees and branches fell on houses. A brief EF0 tornado with 75 mph winds then touched down south of Dallas Center.

What that means for your trees

Old trees in older towns fail in predictable ways: decayed trunks, heavy limbs over streets and roofs, and weak unions from past topping or storm damage. Most failures can be anticipated by looking. A walk-around inspection every few years catches the worst of them.

Typical work in Adel

• Deadwood removal and crown cleaning on old shade trees
• Reduction of heavy limbs over houses, garages and streets
• Removal of declining trees near the river or in town
• Structural pruning on young trees in the new subdivisions
• Stump grinding

Planting for the future

When a large old tree has to come down in Adel, the spot often looks bare for years. Grinding the stump well below grade, removing the grindings and adding topsoil gives a replacement tree a fair start. A mix of species, rather than replanting the same tree the neighbors have, makes the town's canopy more resilient the next time a pest like emerald ash borer comes along.

Brush and wood after the job

Old in-town trees in Adel can fill a trailer several times over. Before any cut, we agree on what happens to it all, so you are not left with a pile at the curb.

Getting started

About 65.2% of Adel homes are owner-occupied, and the median owner-occupied value is $327,900, according to the Census. Every job starts with a free visit and a written estimate. Call (515) 762-6977. Get a free estimate