The homeowner’s guide to tree trimming

From a standard tidy-up to an eye-sore of a tree that needs a restyle, appearance causes most home owners to seek out tree trimming services at some point.

But tree maintenance is important for reasons other than aesthetics. A lack of or improper maintenance can lead to trees becoming diseased and potentially dangerous.

Our guide to tree trimming services covers the fundamentals of tree maintenance to help you look after your trees in the best way.

In this guide, we cover:

  • The most commonly used terms and services
  • The importance of tree maintenance
  • When to trim your tree

Tree trimming services

Once you have decided to enlist a tree trimming service, the next step is to figure out what it is you need.

Familiarising yourself with the most commonly used terms and services (and the difference between them) will enable you to know and ask for the right service or understand why a tree surgeon has recommended a particular one.

What’s more, you’ll know how to take great care of your trees.

Trimming

Tree trimming describes services targeted at overgrowth and aesthetics. The purpose of trimming is to tidy up the appearance of a tree. You may find the term is used interchangeably with ‘tree pruning’, but pruning refers to a different type of service (see below).

Trimming also has the benefit of promoting and stimulating the growth and general health of the tree.

Pruning

Pruning refers to the removal of diseased, dead or otherwise unnecessary branches.

Its main purpose is to prevent harm as unhealthy branches are prone to breaking unexpectedly or spreading diseases throughout the tree.

On top of having a different aim to tree trimming, pruning also utilises different methods. That said, both have the same result which is a healthy, aesthetically pleasing tree.

Crown thinning

Crown thinning is the selective removal of stems and branches from a tree to produce a uniform
structure. The overall shape and structure of the tree remain the same, with only dead, weak, overreaching or duplicate branches targeted for removal.

tree crown thinning

It’s often used to allow more light to pass through the tree or to protect the tree from heavy winds by enabling better air movement.

Crown lift / raise

A crown lift involves the removal of the tree’s lower branches to lift the height of the base of the crown. The goal is to increase the clearance between the lower branches and the ground to increase access under the tree, as well as improve views and light transmission.

Crown reduction

This refers to a reduction in the height or spread of a tree’s crown. It is more aggressive than the other services and the nature of the cuts required can put considerable stress on the tree.

Instances where it may be necessary include:

  • Rebalancing a misshapen crown
  • Making a tree more suitable for its environment
  • Reducing the weight of potentially dangerous branches

Deadwooding

Deadwooding removes dead limbs and branches to preserve the health of a tree. Dead limbs, if left, may cause rot and fungus to spread throughout the tree.

They can also attract pests and insects or break off unexpectedly, posing a risk to passers-by.

The importance of tree maintenance

As well as the appearance, there are other reasons to consider using a tree trimming service. These include:

Growth control

Trimming a tree has a direct impact on the way a tree grows. The correct care encourages and stimulates a tree’s growth rate.

Maintain overall health

Tree trimming services help to maintain a tree’s overall health by responding to or removing any problems, (such as dead, infected or excess branches).

Stop the spread of diseases

If a small part of a tree is infected, the best way to treat the problem is to remove the infected part (before it spreads to the rest of the tree and you have to have the tree removed).

Ensure safety

Non-trimmed trees or improperly trimmed trees may lead to a branch structure with improper weight distribution. This could lead to the risk of heavy branches falling or breaking off unexpectedly. Pruning will help to prevent accidents by removing any high-risk branches.

Is there a right time to trim your trees?

The ideal time to trim a tree depends on the species of tree.

However, as a rule of thumb, a good time to consider trimming is winter or early spring. Most trees are dormant in this period, so if you undertake any kind of maintenance work at this point, the result is normally a fresh burst of life in the growing season.

Always avoid any work during the autumn. Trimming or pruning a tree in autumn will stimulate new growth as the trees prepare to go dormant. This will severely weaken the trees, any cuts will heal more slowly and there will be an increased chance of infection or infestation.

So now you have a better idea of what you’re looking for, the final step is to know how much it will cost.

For more information on tree trimming rates, head over to our tree trimming cost guide.

To get quotes from tree surgeons near you – post a job now.

TREE TRIMMING SERVICES NEAR ME

We cover the whole of the UK, but here's a list of top areas for tree trimming services where we see the most demand.

  • Tree trimming services in Ashford
  • Tree trimming services in Aughton
  • Tree trimming services in Aylesbury
  • Tree trimming services in Barking
  • Tree trimming services in Barking Tye
  • Tree trimming services in Barnet
  • Tree trimming services in Basildon
  • Tree trimming services in Basingstoke
  • Tree trimming services in Beckenham
  • Tree trimming services in Bedford
  • Tree trimming services in Billericay
  • Tree trimming services in Birmingham
  • Tree trimming services in Bolton
  • Tree trimming services in Bournemouth
  • Tree trimming services in Braintree
  • Tree trimming services in Brent
  • Tree trimming services in Brentwood
  • Tree trimming services in Bridgnorth
  • Tree trimming services in Bristol
  • Tree trimming services in Bromley
  • Tree trimming services in Bury
  • Tree trimming services in Bury St Edmunds
  • Tree trimming services in Byrness
  • Tree trimming services in Camberley
  • Tree trimming services in Cambridge
  • Tree trimming services in Camden
  • Tree trimming services in Chelmsford
  • Tree trimming services in Chelsea
  • Tree trimming services in Cheltenham
  • Tree trimming services in Chester
  • Tree trimming services in Chesterfield
  • Tree trimming services in Chichester
  • Tree trimming services in Chiswick
  • Tree trimming services in Chorley
  • Tree trimming services in Clacton On Sea
  • Tree trimming services in Clapham
  • Tree trimming services in Colchester
  • Tree trimming services in Countesthorpe
  • Tree trimming services in Coventry
  • Tree trimming services in Croydon
  • Tree trimming services in Dagenham
  • Tree trimming services in Dartford
  • Tree trimming services in Derby
  • Tree trimming services in Derbyshire
  • Tree trimming services in Dudley
  • Tree trimming services in Dunstable
  • Tree trimming services in Edinburgh
  • Tree trimming services in Enfield
  • Tree trimming services in Erdington
  • Tree trimming services in Essex
  • Tree trimming services in Exeter
  • Tree trimming services in Falkirk
  • Tree trimming services in Fleet
  • Tree trimming services in Fulham
  • Tree trimming services in Gainsborough
  • Tree trimming services in Glasgow
  • Tree trimming services in Great Barr
  • Tree trimming services in Greenwich
  • Tree trimming services in Hackney
  • Tree trimming services in Halesowen
  • Tree trimming services in Hammersmith
  • Tree trimming services in Haringey
  • Tree trimming services in Harlow
  • Tree trimming services in Harrow
  • Tree trimming services in Heacham
  • Tree trimming services in Hemel Hempstead
  • Tree trimming services in Hertford
  • Tree trimming services in Hertfordshire
  • Tree trimming services in High Wycombe
  • Tree trimming services in Hinckley
  • Tree trimming services in Hitchin
  • Tree trimming services in Holmes Chapel
  • Tree trimming services in Huntingdon
  • Tree trimming services in Ilford
  • Tree trimming services in Ipswich
  • Tree trimming services in Islington
  • Tree trimming services in Kensington
  • Tree trimming services in Kent
  • Tree trimming services in Kettering
  • Tree trimming services in Kidderminster
  • Tree trimming services in Lambeth
  • Tree trimming services in Lancashire
  • Tree trimming services in Leeds
  • Tree trimming services in Leicester
  • Tree trimming services in Leigh
  • Tree trimming services in Letchworth Garden City
  • Tree trimming services in Liskeard
  • Tree trimming services in Liverpool
  • Tree trimming services in London
  • Tree trimming services in Long Eaton
  • Tree trimming services in Loughborough
  • Tree trimming services in Luton
  • Tree trimming services in Maidstone
  • Tree trimming services in Manchester
  • Tree trimming services in Mansfield
  • Tree trimming services in Merton
  • Tree trimming services in Milton Keynes
  • Tree trimming services in Newark On Trent
  • Tree trimming services in Newcastle Upon Tyne
  • Tree trimming services in Newham
  • Tree trimming services in Northampton
  • Tree trimming services in Norwich
  • Tree trimming services in Nottingham
  • Tree trimming services in Nuneaton
  • Tree trimming services in Oldham
  • Tree trimming services in Oxford
  • Tree trimming services in Oxfordshire
  • Tree trimming services in Peacehaven
  • Tree trimming services in Peterborough
  • Tree trimming services in Plymouth
  • Tree trimming services in Preston
  • Tree trimming services in Rayleigh
  • Tree trimming services in Reading
  • Tree trimming services in Romford
  • Tree trimming services in Rugby
  • Tree trimming services in Ruislip
  • Tree trimming services in Scotland
  • Tree trimming services in Sevenoaks
  • Tree trimming services in Sheffield
  • Tree trimming services in Slough
  • Tree trimming services in Solihull
  • Tree trimming services in Southend
  • Tree trimming services in Southend On Sea
  • Tree trimming services in Southwark
  • Tree trimming services in St Albans
  • Tree trimming services in St Neots
  • Tree trimming services in Stevenage
  • Tree trimming services in Stockport
  • Tree trimming services in Swindon
  • Tree trimming services in Telford
  • Tree trimming services in Tiptree
  • Tree trimming services in Tower Hamlets
  • Tree trimming services in Waltham Forest
  • Tree trimming services in Walthamstow
  • Tree trimming services in Wandsworth
  • Tree trimming services in Warrington
  • Tree trimming services in Watford
  • Tree trimming services in Wellingborough
  • Tree trimming services in Welwyn Garden City
  • Tree trimming services in Westminster
  • Tree trimming services in Wickford
  • Tree trimming services in Wigan
  • Tree trimming services in Witham
  • Tree trimming services in Wolverhampton
  • Tree trimming services in Woolwich
  • Tree trimming services in Worcester
  • Tree trimming services in York

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