People use trimming and pruning to mean the same thing, and on many jobs the work overlaps. The difference is in the goal.
Trimming is mostly about clearance and appearance. It keeps limbs off the roof, raises the canopy over a driveway, and gives the tree a tidy shape.
Pruning is about the health and structure of the tree. It removes dead, diseased, crossing, or weak branches so the tree grows stronger.
Be wary of anyone who offers to top a tree. Cutting the main leaders back to stubs leaves large wounds and fast, weakly attached regrowth. We never top trees.
Timing matters in North Texas. Texas A&M Forest Service advises avoiding pruning oaks from February through June, when the beetles that spread oak wilt are most active, and painting any fresh oak wounds.
Not sure which your tree needs? Call Ramírez Tree Service at (817) 706-5649 for a free estimate, and we'll tell you what we see.