Taking out dead and failing limbs before they come down on their own — usually in the worst weather, over the thing you least want them to hit.
Every mature tree sheds branches. That is normal, and in the middle of a field it does not matter. Over a driveway, a patio, a parking area, a greenhouse, or a public footpath, it matters a great deal — a dead limb that lets go in a gale carries real weight and gives no warning.
Deadwooding removes the dead, dying, diseased and broken branches while leaving the living structure of the tree alone. Done properly it is one of the least invasive things you can have done to a tree, and one of the most useful.
Summer is the easiest time to spot deadwood, because the dead parts are obvious against the leaf. Winter inspections are still possible but take more experience.
Standing deadwood is valuable habitat — for beetles, fungi, woodpeckers and roosting bats. On a tree in the middle of a lawn, well away from anything, taking every last dead twig out serves no purpose beyond tidiness and removes something genuinely useful.
Our approach is to remove what presents a risk and leave what doesn't. If you want the tree stripped completely for appearance we will do it, but we will tell you honestly when it isn't necessary.
This is the one piece of tree work where the rules are refreshingly simple. Removing dead branches from a living tree requires neither consent nor notice, even where the tree carries a Tree Preservation Order or stands in a conservation area.
Felling a whole tree that is dead is different — that still needs five working days written notice to the council if it is protected. Our guide to tree permission sets out where the line falls.
No. Removing dead branches from a living tree needs neither consent nor notice, even if the tree has a Tree Preservation Order or is in a conservation area. Felling an entire dead tree is different — if it is protected you must give the council five working days written notice first.
The easiest time to tell is summer, when dead branches stand out bare against the leaf. Look for limbs with no foliage, flaking bark, or obvious breaks hanging in the canopy. If you are not sure, send us a photo and we will tell you.
It removes the most predictable risk, which is dead limbs falling. It will not fix a structural problem in the trunk or roots. If we see signs of something more serious while we are up there, we will tell you.
No. The branches being removed are already dead, so the tree loses nothing it is using. It is among the least invasive tree works there is.
For a mature tree over something that matters, every three to five years is sensible, plus a look after any serious storm.
Send a photo and the address and we will come back to you with a clear price.
