Tree Pruning

We provide a complete tree pruning service covering all aspects of tree care.

All tree work is done to the highest standard and complies with B.S. 3998, 2010. Tree work – Recommendations

Pruning and Other Operations

Trees need to be pruned correctly. When trees are pruned in the right way they remain healthy and are encouraged to grow with the correct form. A tree should be a thing of beauty, balanced and in proportion to its surroundings, with its natural form and shape enhanced. This is not easy to achieve and requires experts with many years of experience. Tree Amigos have excellent contractors with a wealth of knowledge and experience. They apply their skill to trees of any species and size.

Poor pruning can have disastrous results. A tree can go into rapid decline leading to premature death. They look unsightly and can become unstable and unsafe.

Some of the most common pruning techniques we apply are outlined here:

Formative pruning

This type of pruning is designed to promote a strong, healthy tree with good form and balance. It is usually carried out on younger trees. Dead and diseased growth is pruned out as well as crossing, weak and wayward growth. Co-dominant stems can often be singled out at this early stage.

Lifting the crown

Lower growth is removed to create more space beneath the tree crown. This is a common technique for allowing natural light into the area close to the tree. It can allow access along paths, roads and drives, or open up a view beyond the tree.

Thinning the crown

This operation is applied to reduce the density of a tree’s crown and so allow better penetration of natural light through the crown and to surrounding garden or property. A proportion of inner branches are removed without altering the overall height, spread or shape of a tree.

Crown reduction

This is undertaken for a number of reasons. The overall height and spread of a tree can be reduced to allow a tree to fit into an available space, particularly in a crowded urban environment. Sometimes trees develop very heavy limbs that may be at risk of failing. A reduction can reduce the weight in heavy limbs and prevent limb failure.

Some trees can be at risk of wind throw. This can be for a number of reasons. The crown is too large (the “sail effect”) or a defect in the main stem or root damage through disease or careless ground works.

Pollarding

This is the practice of removing the tree crown to a specific height or back to pollard points on an established pollard tree. It is the most severe form of pruning and whilst not appropriate in many situations it is a credible form of pruning for certain purposes. Many of our street trees such as Limes and London Planes are periodically pruned in this way. Indeed some of our oldest parkland veterans were once pollarded trees. Older pollarded trees can provide varied and dynamic eco-systems.

Crown cleaning

Although this term is not found in the current British Standard the practice is still a very useful operation in tree management. This term means the removal of all dead wood and broken branches, also accumulated debris such as squirrel dreys, old tree houses and Ivy or other climbing plants are removed. Sad looking neglected trees can often be transformed into great looking specimens in this way.