Crown thinning in Surrey

Crown thinning lets more light and air through a tree without changing its height or spread. We remove a proportion of the smaller branches evenly through the crown, along with any that are crossing, rubbing, dead or weak, so the tree looks lighter but keeps its overall size and shape.

Why thin a crown

• More light: a dense crown can shade a garden, house or neighbouring plants. Thinning lets dappled light through.
• Less wind resistance: a thinner crown lets wind pass through instead of catching it like a sail, easing the load on the trunk and roots.
• Healthier growth: removing crossing and rubbing branches stops wounds forming, and better airflow through the crown can reduce some fungal problems.
• Less weight on long limbs: thinning towards the ends of heavy branches takes some of the strain off them.

How we thin a crown

We look at the tree first and decide how much to remove, which is always a modest proportion of the branches. Taking too much out, or stripping the inner branches and leaving foliage only at the tips, weakens the tree and can make long branches more likely to fail. Thinning should be spread evenly through the whole crown.

We cut back to the branch collar, the slightly swollen area where a branch joins the one it grows from, so the wound can close over cleanly. Our work follows BS3998, the British Standard for tree work, and we clear and remove everything we cut.

Timing

Most trees can be thinned in late autumn or winter while they are dormant. Species that bleed sap, such as birch, maple and walnut, are better thinned in summer, and cherries and plums are pruned in summer to lower the risk of silver leaf disease. Between March and August we check for nesting birds before starting, as active nests are protected by law.

Protected trees

Trees with a Tree Preservation Order need council consent before they are thinned, and most work on trees in a conservation area needs six weeks' notice to the council. We can check this for you before any work is booked.