This week, we want to talk about something many homeowners around the North Shore have been noticing lately: severe storms can do serious damage to the trees around our homes.

Barrington, Winnetka, Northbrook, Highland Park, Lake Zurich, McHenry and communities throughout the area have dealt with high winds, heavy rain, flooding, tornadoes and downed trees in recent months.

We see the aftermath up close. After a major storm, our phones start ringing with homeowners calling about broken limbs, damaged trees and trees that suddenly look like they may not make it through the next one.  But here’s something important to understand:

Tree care cannot make a tree storm-proof.

Even a healthy, well-maintained tree can lose branches or suffer damage when winds become strong enough. What proper tree care can do is help reduce the risk and severity of that damage.

What Severe Weather Can Reveal

Illinois has already experienced an unusually active tornado season, with more than 200 tornadoes reported across the state this year. And tornadoes are only part of the picture. Severe thunderstorms and straight-line winds can put enormous stress on a tree’s branches, trunk and root system. For homeowners, the important lesson isn’t simply how strong the next storm might be.

It’s the condition of your trees before the storm arrives.

A tree can have dead branches, weak branch attachments, hidden cracks, decay, or root problems and still look completely normal on a calm afternoon. Then the wind arrives. That hidden weakness can become the exact place where the tree or branch fails.

Proper Tree Care Can Reduce Storm Damage

It’s easy to think that pruning a tree means it will be safe during the next storm. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works.

Pruning is not a guarantee that a tree won’t be damaged.

When severe weather brings extremely strong winds, even healthy trees can lose branches, split or, in some cases, fail completely. But that doesn’t mean preventative tree care doesn’t matter. Removing dead or damaged branches, identifying structural weaknesses and maintaining a tree’s overall health can help reduce potential hazards before severe weather arrives.

Think of it this way:

You can’t control the storm. You can control the condition of the tree going into it.

Good tree care gives your trees a better chance of handling severe weather and can help reduce the amount of damage when the next storm comes through.

5 Things to Check Before the Next Storm

Take ten minutes to walk around your property and look at the trees near your house, driveway, garage, sidewalks and power lines. 

1. Cracks or splits
Look for cracks in the trunk or large branches, especially around branch attachments.

2. Dead or hanging branches
Dead, broken or partially attached branches can become hazardous when strong winds arrive.

3. Mushrooms near the base
Mushrooms don’t automatically mean a tree is dangerous, but fungal growth can sometimes be associated with decay. It’s worth having an arborist take a closer look if you notice them.

4. A new or changing lean
If a tree has started leaning differently, particularly after heavy rain or saturated soil, its root system may have been affected.

5. Old storm damage
A broken branch may have been removed months ago, but the tree can still have cracks, decay or structural weaknesses left behind.

Don’t Wait for the Next Storm

The best time to identify a potential tree hazard is on a calm day and not when the wind is already picking up. And identifying a problem doesn’t automatically mean removing the tree. Sometimes the right answer is pruning. Sometimes it’s monitoring the tree. Sometimes additional tree care can help reduce the risk. And sometimes removal really is the safest option. The important part is knowing what you’re dealing with before severe weather makes the decision for you.

You Can’t Stop the Storm. You Can Prepare Your Trees.

We work with homeowners throughout McHenry, Fox Lake, Arlington Heights, Gurnee, and Lindenhurst, as well as villages like Wilmette, Winnetka, Kenilworth and Glencoe. From preventative pruning and tree care to storm cleanup and emergency tree removal, our goal is to help homeowners understand the condition of their trees before severe weather puts them to the test.

No tree can be guaranteed to survive a major storm. But proper care can help reduce the risk and limit the potential damage.

If you’ve been wondering whether a tree on your property could become a problem during the next severe storm, now is a good time to have an arborist take a look. A little attention before the storm may mean less damage afterward.

Sources:
National Weather Service
WBEZ / Chicago Sun-Times / Grist — Illinois 2026 tornado activity
ABC7 Chicago — Recent Chicago-area severe weather
Lake & McHenry County Scanner — August 2026 severe weather

You wouldn’t plant tomatoes in February. Tree pruning is no different — cut at the wrong time and you invite disease, stress your trees, and undo a season of healthy growth. Cut at the right time and your trees reward you with stronger structure and fewer problems for years to come.

At Advanced Tree Care, the most common question we hear from homeowners across Lincolnshire, Vernon Hills, Lake Forest, Libertyville, and throughout Lake and Cook Counties is: “Is now a good time to trim my tree?” The answer depends on the species and the season. Here’s the straight answer.

Why Pruning Timing Matters

A well-timed cut heals fast, produces the growth response you want, and leaves trees less exposed to insects and fungal pathogens. A poorly timed cut does the opposite — slowing wound closure, attracting bark beetles, or opening the door to diseases like Oak Wilt that can kill a mature tree within a single season.

In northern Illinois, getting the timing right isn’t just good practice. In some cases, it’s the difference between a tree that thrives for 50 more years and one that needs to come down.

Seasonal Overview for Lake & Cook Counties

Winter (December – February): The safest window for most deciduous trees. Trees are dormant, disease vectors are inactive, and bare canopies make structure easy to see. Most of our structural pruning happens in these months.

Early Spring (March – April): Good for storm damage cleanup, but avoid structural cuts on oaks and elms — this is peak Oak Wilt and Dutch Elm Disease season.

Late Spring / Early Summer (May – June): Prime time to prune spring-flowering trees right after bloom. Light corrective work on maples is fine once fully leafed out.

Summer (July – August): Deadwood removal and light maintenance only. Trees are heat-stressed — avoid heavy structural cuts.

Fall (September – November): Decay fungi peak in autumn and wounds close slowly. Stick to dead branch removal and leave structural pruning for winter.

When to Prune Common Trees in Lake & Cook Counties

Oak Trees — Avoiding Oak Wilt in Illinoi

Best time: December – early March | Avoid: April – July, absolutely

Oak Wilt is the most critical pruning timing issue for Illinois homeowners. Sap-feeding beetles that spread the disease are most active April through July. A single fresh cut on an oak during this window can introduce Oak Wilt — and red oaks, common throughout Lake and Cook Counties, can die within weeks of infection.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources recommends: do not prune oaks between April 1 and July 31. If a safety emergency forces a summer cut, paint the wound immediately with latex paint. Our ISA-certified arborists schedule all oak work between December and early March — don’t let any crew touch your oaks in spring or summer without confirming they know Oak Wilt protocol.

Maple Trees

Best time: Late February, or midsummer (July – August) | Avoid: March – early May

Maples “bleed” heavily if pruned during spring sap flow. The sap won’t kill the tree, but wounds close slowly and the tree is unnecessarily weakened. Prune in late February before sap rises, or wait until fully leafed out in June or July.

Crabapples, Cherries & Spring-Flowering Trees

Best time Immediately after flowering (late May – mid June) | Avoid: Fall

If you’re reading this in late May — right now is your window.

Spring-flowering trees set next year’s buds in late summer, so prune too late and you lose next spring’s display. Shape the canopy right after bloom while the tree still has time to harden new growth before summer heat. For crabapples, sterilize tools between every cut to prevent fire blight spread.

 Elms

Best time: December – mid-April | Avoid: Mid-April – October

Dutch Elm Disease spreads via bark beetles that follow nearly the same seasonal pattern as Oak Wilt vectors. Prune in late winter. If storm damage forces an in-season cut, remove and dispose of the wood away from healthy elms — don’t leave it on the ground.

Evergreens (Pines, Spruces, Arborvitae)

Best time: Late spring for pines (new candle extension); early spring or late summer for spruce and arborvitae | Dead branches: Anytime

Most conifers won’t regenerate from bare old wood, so technique matters as much as timing. For pines, prune in late spring when new candles are extending but not yet hardened. For spruces and arborvitae, early spring or late summer both work. Avoid heavy pruning in fall.

What to Do Right Now — Late May in Lake & Cook Counties

Do now: Prune crabapples, cherries, and redbuds if bloom has faded. Remove deadwood from any species. Light corrective pruning on maples.

Wait: No structural work on oaks or elms until December — Oak Wilt is at peak risk right now.

Call us immediately if you see: A limb hanging over your home, sudden leaf scorch on an oak (possible Oak Wilt), fungal growth at the base of a trunk, or any crack at a major branch union. Safety hazards don’t follow seasonal rules — we serve Lincolnshire, Vernon Hills, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Gurnee, Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Highland Park, and throughout Lake and Cook Counties.

Serving the Northern Suburbs — Why We Take This Seriously

Advanced Tree Care is based in Lincolnshire and serves a 25-mile radius covering some of the most tree-rich residential neighborhoods in the Chicagoland area — from the lakefront communities of Lake Forest and Highland Park to the wooded subdivisions of Vernon Hills, Libertyville, and Buffalo Grove. All of our pruning follows ANSI A300 standards, the same benchmark used by certified arborists and professional tree care organizations across the industry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I prune my oak tree in May in Illinois? No. May is peak Oak Wilt risk season. Schedule oak pruning for December through early March when disease-spreading beetles are dormant.

What’s the best time to trim trees in summer in Illinois? July and August are fine for deadwood removal and light maintenance.

Avoid heavy structural cuts — trees are already stressed by heat.

How often should trees be pruned?

Most arboricultural guidelines recommend professional trimming every 5 to 7 years for mature trees. Trees near structures or with known disease history should be assessed annually.

Is fall pruning okay in Illinois?

Not ideal. Decay fungi peak in fall and wounds close slowly before winter. Wait for full dormancy in late November or December for any significant work.

Schedule a Free Pruning Assessment

Our ISA-certified arborists serve Lincolnshire, Vernon Hills, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Gurnee, Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Highland Park, Northbrook, and surrounding Lake and Cook County communities. Whether it’s oak scheduling, a post-bloom crabapple trim, or a tree you’re just not sure about — we’ll give you a straight, honest answer.
(847) 587-8500

Request a free estimate today and let’s make sure your trees are on the right schedule this season.

Here’s something we see every spring as ISA-certified arborists in Lincolnshire: more trees are damaged by too much water than too little.

If you have a sprinkler system, there’s a good chance it’s quietly stressing your trees — even while your lawn looks great.

Water at 7–9 AM. Not midday. Not at night.

Morning is the only time that makes real sense.

The soil absorbs what it needs, and the surface dries naturally through the day. No wasted water, no moisture sitting on bark overnight.

Midday — most of the water evaporates before it reaches the roots.

You’re paying for water your trees never receive.

After 7 PM — moisture sits on bark and soil all night with no sun to dry it. That’s how fungal problems start. Damping off, fungal spots, rust, rhizosphaera needle cast, leafspot, powdery mildew — we diagnose these in Lincolnshire trees every season, and evening watering is almost always part of the story.

If you missed the morning, 5–6 PM works — there’s still enough light and warmth for things to dry before dark.

Your sprinkler system is built for your lawn, not your trees

This is the conversation we have with homeowners more than almost any other.

Lawn grass needs frequent, short watering cycles. Trees need deep, infrequent soaks. When your irrigation system runs the same schedule for both, your trees are getting hit at the base three or four times a week — far more than they need.

Watch especially for water spraying onto plant material. Sprinkler systems spraying arborvitae and spruce directly is one of the most common causes of needle cast and fungal decline we see in this area.

Rust and Rhizosphaera needle cast in particular are largely irrigation-driven diseases — and they almost always trace back to heads that were never adjusted as the trees grew.

Signs your irrigation is harming your trees:

Yellowing leaves despite the tree looking otherwise healthy Soil around the base that never fully dries out Moss or algae on the bark near ground level White mushrooms appearing at the base in a pattern around the root zone — this is where root rot lives. By the time you’re seeing mushrooms, the damage is already underway, and the cause is almost always water that had nowhere to go Leaves wilting even though the soil is wet — this is mushy roots from root rot, not drought.

Older systems — a common problem in our suburbs

Many homes here have irrigation systems that are 15–30 years old. The heads were aimed at open lawn when they were installed. Since then, your trees have grown — but the heads haven’t moved.

Five things to check right now:

-Run every zone and watch it. Walk the yard while the system runs. Look for heads with water spraying onto plant material, stuck rotary heads, and pooling water that isn’t absorbing.

-Redirect heads near trees. Most heads can be adjusted without replacing them. Keep water on the lawn, away from trunk bases and foliage.

-Separate your schedule if you can. Trees once a week, deeply. Lawn two to three times a week, shorter. If your system can’t run separate zones — favor less frequent for everything.

-Check your run times. Illinois spring lawns typically need 20–30 minutes, once or twice a week. If your system is running daily from a schedule that was never updated — that’s too much.

-Add a rain sensor. Older systems often don’t have one, or it’s failed and bypassed. A basic sensor costs under $30 and stops your system from running the morning after it rained.

Do’s and Don’ts: Watering Trees the Right Way

Water deeply and infrequently — once a week at the drip line, not the trunk. Let the soil dry between waterings. Soil should be firm to the touch, not muddy or spongy. Firm, moist soil that dries between waterings is what a healthy root zone feels like. If it’s muddy, you’re already overwatering.	Don’t water at night. Moisture sitting on bark and soil with no sun to dry it creates the exact conditions for damping off, fungal spots, rust, Rhizosphaera needle cast, leafspot, and powdery mildew. Improper irrigation causes the biggest issues we see in landscaping — more than drought, more than pests, more than almost anything else. It’s behind more tree problems in this area than most homeowners realize.
Water in the morning between 7–9 AM. This gives roots time to absorb moisture and allows the surface to dry naturally before evening.	Don’t ignore mushrooms at the base of a tree. White mushrooms growing in a pattern around the root zone are a sign of mushy roots and active decay below the surface. By the time you’re seeing them, the damage is already underway.
Check your sprinkler zones individually. Walk the yard while the system runs and watch for heads directing water spraying onto plant material — arborvitae, spruce, and other evergreens are especially vulnerable.	Don’t wait if a tree looks distressed. A tree showing wilting, yellowing, or browning leaves despite wet soil isn’t struggling — it is already damaged. The window to intervene is shorter than most people expect.
Separate your irrigation schedule. Trees need water once a week, deep and slow. Lawn needs two to three shorter cycles. These should not be the same schedule.	Don’t let heads spray trunk bases or plant material. Keep water on the lawn where it belongs.
Install a rain sensor if you don’t have one — or verify your existing one is actually working.	Don’t mistake wet soil for healthy soil. Soil that’s consistently muddy is suffocating roots, not feeding them.

We’re not an irrigation company and don’t service irrigation systems — but as ISA-certified arborists, we can walk your property, assess what your trees are showing us, and give you clear recommendations on what your watering schedule is doing to them. Sometimes that conversation alone saves a tree.

When do trees actually need water?

Established trees — in the ground three or more years — are more drought-tolerant than most people realize. In a normal Illinois spring, they need very little help.

Water when: no significant rain for two or more weeks, leaves are curling or browning at the edges, or the tree was planted in the last 1–2 years.

Stop when: the soil 2–3 inches down is already moist, rain is coming in the next day or two, or you’re seeing any of the overwatering signs above.

When you do water — water at the drip line, not the trunk. Deep and slow, once a week. Not a little every day.

Our ISA-certified arborists assess tree health and catch issues early.

Advanced Tree Care — Cook & Lake County Free estimates: 847-587-8500