Crown reduction & thinning

Is this the job you need?

The tree has outgrown the garden.

Reduction takes the crown back to a smaller, balanced shape by cutting to growth points. Thinning removes selected branches inside the crown to let light and wind through. Often it's a bit of both.

Shade over the lawn or the house for most of the day
Branches touching the roof, the gutters or a phone line
Heavy limbs reaching over a boundary or a road
Wind rock in storms, or a crown that has become top-heavy
A view you'd like back, without losing the tree

Before and after

Same oak, same afternoon. The light is the difference.

BeforeAfter

Reduction of roughly a quarter, every cut made to a growth point.Drag to compare

How we do it

Measured, not guessed.

01

We agree the amount

A reduction is specified in metres, not percentages, so you know exactly what's coming off. Usually no more than a third of the crown.

02

We check permissions

Preservation order or conservation area? We check and file the application. The council usually replies within eight weeks.

03

We climb and cut

Roped in, working from the top down, every cut made just above a growth point so the tree heals cleanly and regrows naturally.

04

We clear up

Brash chipped, logs stacked or removed, lawn raked. Then we walk round it with you.

On the job

Up close.

A reduction cut, just above the side shoot

Finished: smaller, balanced, still an oak

Questions

Asked about crown reduction.

How much can you take off?+

Up to about a third of the crown in one go. More than that stresses the tree and brings a rush of weak growth. If you want it much smaller, we do it in stages a few years apart.

Will it grow back?+

Yes, and that's the point: it keeps living. Cut to growth points, the regrowth is steady and natural. Most reduced trees want a light revisit every three to five years.

When's the best time?+

Most of the year. We avoid heavy work in the bird nesting season, roughly March to August, unless we've checked for active nests first. A few species, like cherry and walnut, have their own best seasons, and we'll tell you if yours is one.

Get a quote

Tell us what's worrying you.

A photo and a postcode is enough to start. We'll ring to arrange a visit.

Site visit, usually within 48 hours
Written, itemised, fixed-price quote
Insurance certificates included
No obligation

Or call 01632 960 123

Where we work

Crown reduction across Kent.

Maidstone Sevenoaks Tonbridge Tunbridge Wells Ashford Cranbrook Tenterden Edenbridge West Malling Paddock Wood Headcorn Canterbury

Other services

Same crew, same standards.

Removal