Crown thinning Bournemouth, Poole & Dorset
Too much shade, but you love the tree as it is? Crown thinning takes out selected branches from inside the crown, so more light and wind pass through while the outline stays the same.
Next free quote visits, live from our diary
- 5.0 on Google, 50+ reviews
- NPTC, City & Guilds & Lantra
- £5M insured
Crown thinning in short
Crown thinning is the removal of a proportion of the smaller branches from inside a tree's crown, evenly throughout, without changing its overall size or shape. It lets more dappled light through, reduces the weight on the main limbs and the wind resistance of the crown. It is specified as a percentage, usually 10% to 20%, and never more than the tree can safely lose.
- Typical thin
- 10% to 20% of the branches, evenly through the crown
- Good for
- Light, wind load and crossing or rubbing branches
- Not for
- Making a tree smaller. That is a crown reduction
- Standard
- All cuts to British Standard BS3998
- Permission
- Needed for TPO trees and in conservation areas
How crown thinning works
Done well, you can't see where the branches came from, only that the tree looks lighter.
Our climber works through the crown removing crossing and rubbing branches, weak or crowded shoots, and a share of the smaller branches spread evenly through the tree. The main structure is left intact.
We take care not to strip out the inside of the crown and leave leaves only at the tips, a fault sometimes called lion-tailing. That moves the weight to the ends of the branches and makes them more likely to fail.
Thinning suits broadleaf trees with dense crowns, such as sycamore, lime, oak and beech. For conifers and for trees that are simply too big, a reduction usually does more good.
Crown thinning questions
Anything not covered here? Ask us and we'll give you a straight answer.
How much of a crown can be thinned?
What is the difference between crown thinning and crown reduction?
Will thinning let more light into my garden?
How often does a tree need thinning?
Do I need permission to thin a tree?
Do we cover you?
Based in Ferndown, covering all of Dorset, all of Hampshire and parts of Wiltshire.
Check your postcode
Five stars, every time
What customers across Dorset and Hampshire say after the job is done.
Tree down? Call now.
Storm damage, fallen trees and dangerous limbs. Fast response across Dorset and Hampshire, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Book your free quote visit
Choose the job, pick a time from our live diary and tell us where. No payment and no obligation.
- You pick a timeOnline, in about a minute. Visits run Monday to Thursday and Saturdays.
- We visit and look properlyA qualified arborist checks the trees, the access and whether any consent is needed.
- You get a written quoteA clear, fixed price with no hidden costs. The price quoted is the price you pay.
- NPTC
- City & Guilds
- Lantra
- £5M insured
- BS3998
Want to ask something first? Send us a message and we reply within 24 hours.
Contact usTree down or dangerous? Call 01202 022560, 24 hours a day.
Book a free quote visit
Free No obligation About a minute
- 1The job
- 2Day and time
- 3Your details
What would you like?
Type of work tick all that apply
Pick at least one, so we turn up with the right kit.
Not a booking?
Pick a day, then a time. These come straight from our diary.
You're booked in
We've got your quote visit down and we'll see you then. A member of the team will be in touch if we need anything before the visit.
Preview only: nothing was sent. On the live site this goes into your diary exactly as the bookings page does.
Need to rearrange? Call 01202 022560.
Fallen tree, storm damage or a dangerous limb over a road, roof or power line? Don't book a slot. Call us now and we'll get to you fast, day or night, 365 days a year.
01202 022560 Call nowFill this in and we'll reply within 24 hours.
Message sent
Thanks. We reply to every enquiry within 24 hours.
Preview only: nothing was sent. On the live site this posts to your diary script and then goes to your thank-you page.
NPTC, City & Guilds and Lantra qualified. £5M insured. Your details are never shared.