It is always good to have trees in your back garden. Not only do they make your garden look beautiful, but they also provide various benefits such as reducing heat by cooling your home with its shade and lessen air pollution. It also adds value to properties.

However, neglected trees can die and become hazardous; keep reading to learn what the warnings signs are...

Pollarding....have you heard the word before but aren't quite sure of its meaning? You may know that it's related to tree surgeons, but that is all you know. It's not a terribly difficult concept to understand, even though the execution can be complex. 

​Pollarding simply means pruning a tree to control its size and form. It's a practice that has been in use for centuries in Europe and takes a particular knowledge and skill to practise. 

Have you noticed something wrong with your tree? Do you think there might not be well? Here is a quick guide on how to visually check your tree.

Base of the tree
Start by examining the roots. Are there signs of the ground heaving up, severed roots or signs of decay or fungi, such as mushrooms?

Tree Trunk
Then move up towards the tree trunk - just above the soil. Can you see any loose bark, cracks or deep slits or peeling? Inspect the rest of the trunk for signs of decay, such as signs of swelling, cavities, soft or decaying wood or small holes.

Canopy
Finally, look up at the canopy, the upper layer of branches and leaves. Can you see any signs of:

• Dead or dying branches. Do they hang low, is there bark missing and is it missing leaves?
• Leaning limbs or branches
• Weak, V-shaped branch unions, where two branches have grown together
• Excessively thick, dense canopies that could easily break
• Leaf problems – such as spotting or holes to odd coloured or deformed leaves
• Cankers, a dead section of bark on branches or limbs

Does the structure of your tree seem unstable? Perhaps it is time to remove your tree.

If you have any concerns about your tree and would like one of our qualified arborists to come and inspect your tree, just give us a call. We will advise you on what we think is the best treatment for the tree, or whether it would be better to have the tree removed.

Let us help you ensure the best care for your trees. Chelmsford Tree Surgeon is made up of a team of professional arborists that love working with trees all year round across Essex covering: Billericay, Chelmsford, Hatfield Peveral, Ingatestone, Maldon, Margaretting, Stock and surrounding areas.
Give us a call today on 01245 527 053.
 
If you are in need of any of the following services, please give us a call:
​Emergency Tree Services
Tree Pruning
Tree Removal
Stump Removal
Site Clearance
Crown Reduction
Crown Lifting
Crown Thinning
Hedge Trimming

​Our tree surgeons in Chelmsford, offer a professional tree surgery service to clients of all varieties across Chelmsford. Our Chelmsford tree cutting services are not exclusive to any one type of customer and whatever your tree needs, we are here to help.

Tree Surgeons in Billericay - for Private Residents
Our Billericay tree services have arborists that can create sharp lines and edges for your hedges so that they look their best all year round. We understand that hedges can be difficult and tricky to maintain, so let us do the hard work for you. 

Tree care Billericay - for Local Authorities
If this summer signifies the time for you to renew the services of your local tree surgeon – why not consider the services of our Billericay tree surgery services? We are accustomed to regularly maintaining streets that are lined with trees on main and private roads. Get in touch so that we can tender for the job.

Tree cutters Billericay - for Housing Associations
Does your block of flats have an area where tenants can relax and have a picnic? Trees form an understated role when it comes to enhancing our environment and keeping tenants happy by ensuring that the surrounding trees and hedges are aesthetically pleasing for occupants is something we can do. We excel at managing the green external environment and we’re happy to work alongside other contractors.

Tree surgery Billericay - Private Landlords
Do the best for your property and maintain your front and back gardens. Well kept, tidy areas keep neighbours and tenants happy! We undertake work on trees of all shapes and sizes. Why not give us a call to find out more? We will advise you if any work on your trees or hedges are in need of significant alterations.
 
Billericay Tree Surgeons - Schools
If you are the caretaker or manager of a school with the responsibility to hire local tree surgeons – then look no further. We offer competitive rates on all of our tree services and our professional Chelmsford tree cutters can reduce the crowns of your trees or height of your hedges during the school holidays. We are reliable, quick and tidy. Let us be your new tree contractor by calling us today!

Billericay Tree Surgery - Private businesses
Did you know that natural outdoor aesthetics can improve staff moral and impress prospective clients? Make the areas surrounding your offices look smart and tidy with our hedge trimming and general tree pruning service. If you have a business or offices with an outdoor area in need of maintenance then get in touch. 

Billericay Tree Cutters - Retail Parks
Retail parks often have trees and hedges that are overlooked by numerous shoppers. Even though the trees may be invisible to many people, trees have lots of great benefits that can improve their shopping experience. We offer a bespoke service to all of our retail parks and all other clients, which means that the regularity and types of jobs you would like us to carry out is chosen by you. Not sure about what needs doing? Let us advise you. 

Billericay Tree Care - Industrial sites
Our expert arborists have knowledge about all types of trees and hedges and can advise you about what to do to get the most from your vegetation. If you are the manager of an industrial site get in touch so that we can discuss our flexible contracts.

Tree Services Billericay - Commercial Land Owners / Property Developers
Are you ready to have the site of your new property cleared and ready for building? We clear sites that are full of overgrown hedges, trees (dead and diseased), tree stumps and other vegetation. Let us help you save time and money by offering you professional staff, competitive rates and a timely finish. We have the manpower, skill and equipment to work on small plots and acres of land.

Call, email or complete the form on our contact page today!

After years in the wilderness, slow growing dwarf conifers are now coming back into fashion. They are easy to grow, require practically no maintenance and offer year round interest. Conifers can be grown as single specimens or in groups, in a mixed border with other shrubs, perennials and bulbs or in a special conifer area, where a variety of forms can be combined to good effect. Although an evergreen conifer display is very low maintenance and looks good all year, it can seem static, because it remains exactly the same from one season to the next.
 
The best time to plant conifers is mid spring, when the soil is moist and starting to warm up. This allows the plants to establish before the onset of winter. However, container grown conifers can also be planted at other times of year, particularly early autumn, provided they are kept well watered in summer and protected from cold winds in winter.

If the weather or soil conditions are not suitable for planting when the conifers arrive, plant them roughly in a trench in a sheltered spot, known as heeling in, until conditions improve. Do not take container grown plants out of their pots until you are ready to plant them properly.
 
Plant conifers in the same way as other trees and shrubs but after planting protect the plants from cold and drying winds by erecting plastic windbreak netting held up on well anchored posts as a windbreak. Once the conifer is well established this protection can be removed.

Tall trees may also need staking to prevent damage from storms. Do not feed conifers unless they are showing signs of starvation, unnatural yellowing foliage. If they are given too much food, conifers will grow more quickly, producing lush, often uncharacteristic, growth that does not look attractive and is prone to damage cause by drying and cold winds.
 
In a situation where two or more leaders have formed a fork in the conifer tree, leave the strongest not pruned. Cut away the other stems or stems at the point of origin. If the remaining leader is not growing strongly upright, tie a cane to the conifer's main stem. Tie the new leader to the cane to encourage vertical growth.

Conifers develop a range of habits, including upright, conical and spreading. Planted together in the garden they can make a striking group. Using a hoe to remove weeds from around young trees or shrubs is the surest way of catching them all. It is best carried out in hot weather so that any weeds hoed up die quickly.
 
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If you would like to talk to us about the condition of your conifers - get in touch with Chelmsford Tree Surgeon today by calling 01245 527 053 or visiting our contact page and filling out a form. We work across the borough including:

tree surgeon chelmsford | tree surgeon billericay | tree surgeon ingatestone | tree surgeon maldon | tree surgeon broomfield | tree surgeon boreham

With the continued easing of lockdown restrictions, many schools have opened up their doors to pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6. It continues to be a daunting time as we tentatively move towards re-establishing the outdoor environment.

We understand that much planning, by teachers, has gone into ensuring that the internal, classroom environment is a safe haven for learning. Class sizes are much smaller to ensure social distancing measures remain in place and for some schools, attendance is on rota system to ensure that each year group gets at least a couple of days a week at school.

All very different compared to how things once were. What hasn’t changed is the outdoor landscape of schools. Trees, bushes and other vegetation remain where they have always been and caring for them remains the same too.

If your school would like to get a quote for your trees and/or hedges to be trimmed or pruned - get in touch with the team at tree surgeon Chelmsford today! We work across the borough providing a full tree care service for schools of all sizes.

​Call or go to our contact page, where you can fill out a form. Someone will be in touch to organise your free, no obligation quote.

You can buy tomatoes, peaches and pears in the produce department at your nearby market, but nothing beats the pleasure of growing your own produce at home. When you grow veggies or fruit plants, you must apply special insecticide to keep the leaves crisp, green and free of any insect bite marks. 

Any amateur grower who decides to grow a fruit tree will have a new set of issues to face because of the different upkeep that's required to keep a fruit tree looking healthy and free of diseases. A person will also have to understand what times of the year to trim a tree and how to prune it to keep it healthy and growing at a set pace.

Pruning
Pruning is a helpful method that will discard old shoots from the main tree's trunk and keep a structured growing outline, but pruning also helps to keep the tree from growing out of control. Growers must note the different sorts of pruning, and when to prune a tree and when not to; for example, dormant pruning helps invigorate the tree during the fall to stabilize top growth. 

You must keep a set pruning cycle for a tree to make sure that its branches and fruit grow healthily and that no blockage of light to its trunk crops up during the winter and fall parts of the year. The type and age of a tree will determine the perfect time for pruning. For example, peach trees normally require late pruning because of the late blossoming of fruit. If you have an older tree, you can prune earlier in the winter and still keep the tree from getting injured, but as for younger trees, pruning later is often ideal.

Summer pruning is as vital as winter pruning, because during this time of year, the hacking off of some branches will stop the tree from growing out of control. When performing summer pruning, a grower should begin to remove the shoots as soon as the buds start to grow, and typically, cutting should be performed on the top growth of a tree to remove any unwanted shoots.

Training
In a perfect environment, your fruit tree will mature exactly how you want it to - upright, healthy and with a strong trunk to support extra shoots. Trees usually grow wild and like to twist and turn in their own manner, making for multiple unwanted growing structures.

With the help of training wire and sticks, growers can push branches together or away from each other to fight the awkward twists seen during its early growth period. If you want to grow a set of pear trees in your backyard; you may need some training tools to ensure the branches do not hit each other and grow properly.

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If you need help with pruning your trees get in touch with the Chelmsford Tree Surgeon office today. We are experienced arborists that work for commercial and residential clients across the Chelmsford borough. Call 01245 527 053, so that we can book you in for a visit.

From spring through to late autumn the hedges are active and now in May, you will see that many hedges have grown quite considerably in the past few weeks, especially this year with all the sunshine we have had in March and April.

Hedges can be made from a variety of different shrubs and trees, ranging from conifers to holly and hawthorn hedges.

Here is a list of common hedges that we trim and the best time to do this.
Trimming Yew Hedges
When to trim: In August/September
How often: Once per year
 
Trimming Privet Hedges
When to trim: During April - September
How often: At least twice per year. The more it is trimmed this thicker it can get.
 
Trimming Laurel Hedges
When to trim: June - September
How often: Once per year
 
Trimming Berberis Hedge
When to trim: After it has flowered
How often: Once per year
 
Trimming Leylandii Hedging
When to trim: April to September
How often: At least twice per year. The more it is trimmed this thicker it can get.
 
This is just a short list of some of the hedges we trim. If you have any questions, please get in touch. If you would like your hedges trimmed or require tree cutting services in Chelmsford call us to get a quote today. 
 
Some tips when cutting hedges

• Try to trim the hedge so that it’s slightly 'A' shaped. This way it improves the stability of the hedge and allows rainfall and sunshine to get to all parts of the plant
• Start by pruning the top flat. If you want help to get it straight, try putting up canes and a string as a cutting guide
• Make sure you brush off the trimmings to prevent fungal diseases
• Use sharp shears – we recommend that you regularly get them sharpened.
• If you’re using electric trimmers, make sure they’re plugged into to a socket with a circuit breaker Keep the cable well away from the blade and wear googles and tough gloves
• After pruning, water the hedge, on both sides if you can

If it sounds like too much work, then give us a call. We are more than happy doing this work. We love being outdoors, in all weathers…though we do prefer it when it is not raining!
 
If you are in the Chelmsford area of Essex, or nearby and need your hedges pruned, call Chelmsford Tree Surgeon on 01245 527 053.

Don't top your trees
The buds at the tips of shoots in trees are hormonally controlled. Those on lateral branches are controlled to grow outward, toward light (phototropic). Those on tree tops are controlled to grow upwards against gravity(geotropic).

When topping cuts are made and the geotropic buds are removed, the tree switches the hormonal signals to the buds at the tips of the upper lateral branches to start growing against gravity. Some species of trees will also trigger dormant buds that lay under the bark (epicormic) of the tree to release and grow geotropically, known as watersprouts.

Either type of newly recruited geotropic buds will grow many times faster than those of the original top, often quickly re-attaining the height of the original top. The result is a new top far larger and denser than the original. At this point, any benefit of the topping cut is undone and the original issue is more of a problem than before.... but it gets worse.

Trees are rarely able to close off wounds from topping cuts fast enough to stop decay fungi from entering the open area. As the newly recruited tops curve upward and put on rapid growth, the area around their point of attachment to the trunk becomes progressively more decayed inside, thus weakening the new tops' attachment, already weak because of the two 90-degree turns from the stem.

The obvious result of many large new tops with weak attachment points is a tree that can become very hazardous. Accordingly, many of our municipalities prohibit topping in their tree bylaws, unless it is for hazard reduction in previously topped trees.

Don't pile soil or other debris over your tree's root system
Tree roots require air to survive. On the other hand, too much air will desiccate roots and kill them. As roots grow outward, they achieve a delicate balance of air, moisture, and nutrient supply in the soil, with the fine absorbing roots usually being found in the top few inches.

When extra soil is piled over a tree's rooting area, it decreases the amount of oxygen that can get to these roots, often killing them. This also renders the lower soil environment more favourable to root decay fungi which, in serious infections, can cause the entire tree to fall over. Adding as little as two inches of soil to the rooting area can be enough to kill a mature tree.

Don't over prune your trees
While some orchardists rely on heavy pruning to maintain a heavy fruit yield, this is not a suitable practice for most homeowners. Orchard trees are grown specifically for fruit production and not for aesthetic value. Such pruning practices severely reduce a tree's life expectancy, compromise structural form, and come at heavy maintenance cost due to excessive sprouting. Heavy fruit crops are a symptom of stress, and such trees are pruned so as to stress them.

Trees grown for ornamental value, as is the case in most yards should normally not have more than 25% of the leafy area removed in a year. Keeping within such limits, while making proper cuts, can keep a tree healthy and maintain an attractive form. This can be done while, at the same time, maintaining a decent yield of fruit, if so desired. Pruning is all about balance.

Don't fertilize unless you know your tree needs it
Any nutrient becomes toxic when there is too much of it in the soil. Because trees are much longer-lived than most other garden plants, they keep a delicate equilibrium between growth rates and other physiological functions and moisture and nutrient levels in their environment.

Upsetting this balance by adding concentrated nutrients can have unintended and unwanted growth reactions in trees. If a tree shows symptoms of nutrient deficiency, it is best to have the soil tested before trying to amend the soil.

If fertilizer is required, it is best to use an organic form, in which nutrients are released at a slower rate and are therefore less likely to cause fertilizer burn than a synthetic variety. The easiest way to gently amend your soil, is to allow a tree to take back its own nutrients, by allowing leaves to compost themselves on-site.

Don't over water your trees
While trees do need water to survive, too much water can kill them. Roots need access to air through soil pores, which can be cut off by oversaturated soil. Roots in oversaturated soil will eventually die. Wet conditions are also very favourable to many of the fungi responsible for tree decay, especially for root rot fungi, which can result in the entire tree falling over.

Don't get in over your head
If you are considering working on your trees and something seems unsafe, it probably is. There is a lot of weight involved and a lot of forces at play even in fairly small trees, and many homeowners are seriously injured or worse yearly when trying to do work they are improperly equipped for. If unsure, call an expert.

If you are considering working on your trees and aren't familiar with proper pruning techniques, trees' growth responses to pruning or damage, or the needs and limitations of the particular species of tree in question, it is wise to call an expert.
Short-term savings on doing work one's self are often dwarfed by the long-tem cost of attempting to repair a tree from improper pruning.

Do know the species of your trees, and the personalities of those species
Each species of tree has its own specific needs and habits. Knowing these ahead of time can help you avoid actions that will harm your tree, or prevent you from planting the right tree in the wrong spot in the first place. Western redcedar (Thuja plicata) has a shallow, spreading root system that allows its roots to survive the wet environments it grows in naturally. 

This species would be inappropriate for a fast-draining hilltop, or a site where heavy traffic is expected over the rooting area. Most birches (Betula spp.) are likewise adapted to wetter growing sites, often naturally growing along creeks or in gullies.

This is one reason we see a lot of otherwise beautiful birch trees in Vancouver planted in fast-draining lawns with dead tops. Pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttallii), the bearer of our provincial flower, is very sensitive to damp conditions and stagnant airflow, and will often quickly die in such conditions from dogwood anthracnose.

Knowing the average mature size and spread of a tree is of utmost importance in choosing its planting location. Every year, we are called to remove otherwise beautiful, healthy trees, that have been planted in the wrong spot and are damaging buildings.

Do plant trees in appropriate spots
This goes along with knowing your species... We are surrounded by temperate rainforest full of beautiful trees. Where there is room for them to grow, large native species such as Douglas-fir, western redcedar, western hemlock, grand fir, and bigleaf maple can be marvellous assets to a yard. The same goes with stately exotic trees such as black walnut, beech, or elm. However, property owners frequently don't take mature form into consideration when planting seedlings, or allowing naturally seeded trees to grow in place.

​Looking after your trees well can be overwhelming, but there's no need to do it on your own. Our professional Chelmsford tree surgeons can be hired to apply their tree care services on a regular basis. Call today on 01245 527 053.

Probably the most influential ways in which you can ensure that your garden plants, shrubs and trees develop and grow well in your landscape garden is protection and possibly the most important type of protection that is required is protection against wind damage. 

Virtually all of the trees and shrubs which grow in your garden can be seriously damaged, even fatally, by heavy winds in any number of different ways. One of the incredibly effective ways in which you can vastly decrease wind damage is by installing windbreak netting around the boundaries and using tree shelters on all of your younger trees.

The use of tree shelters can dramatically reduce, or even halt completely, any wind damage to fresh leaves, buds and shoots. These amazingly useful gadgets can create a complete or partial barrier to the wind. 

Netting reduces the speed and ferocity of wind but not it's direction whereas tree shelters, especially circular/round types will deflect the flow. As the wind blows the trees backwards and forwards it can cause damage to the roots especially the important, very fine, fibrous roots. Together with the fact that wind can also increase osmosis, trees left exposed to such weather can, very quickly become severely dehydrated.

Sadly, protecting any species of tree in severely exposed locations can be extremely difficult and you will, most likely, discover that the only effective protection would be the use of both tree shelters and windbreak netting.

Inside the tree shelter is a wonderful environment which encourages quick, and high quality, growth, with the trees often growing at six times the rate of those without shelter. The twin walled tree shelters offer the perfect level of insulation to ensure a more stable temperature and, with sufficient light getting through to further warm the air, trees grow with stronger stems and trunks with few side shoots.

Nearly all tree shelters, either light weight or heavy weight, are manufactured from an amazingly strong and long lasting type of opaque or clear polyethylene this results in products which are considerably lighter than those made from an alternative substance.

Because they are mass produced items and the material used is plentiful and not very expensive it costs very little to purchase a large number of shelters, another factor in keeping down the price is that they are really easy to flat pack resulting in transportation which is easy and cheap with even the heavy weight models are light weight.

If you have chosen to live in a coastal location, you will soon discover that tree shelters are also a great solution to the annoying problem of salt damage. Protecting against salt damage is, more than likely the only way to make sure that some species of tree flourish in your vicinity. 

Windbreak netting is also a cool, easy way in which to increase protection against salt damage. Windbreak netting is also good for reducing sunlight in very bright positions as it restricts sunlight by forty to fifty percent.

Windbreak netting and tree shelters are also required if you reside in a neighborhood where animals are a problem. Tree shelters will stop any damage caused by browsing animals such as rabbits, dear and the likes.

​The spiral types have been designed for this reason and are most probably the best choice. Windbreak netting is unlikely to stop rabbits because it is commonly made from a mesh of polyethylene but it will most likely stop other creatures.

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If your trees are located in a vulnerable position that leaves you feeling worried about their vulnerability, then book an appointment with us by calling 01245 527 053. We can inspect your trees and assess how they would fare in the event of high winds and storms. Don't leave it until after a storm, when you'll need our emergency tree service, call us for an inspection today.

During these unprecedented times, we have had to take stock of how our business is delivering our tree cutting services. 

The safety of our staff and customers is paramount and we are fortunate enough to be in a trade that allows us to make the necessary adjustments and carrying on working.

For domestic clients, with side access, we can minimise physical contact and still enter the property to work on trees and hedges. Tree and hedge waste can also be walked out via the side access and not through the living quarters of the house.

For clients that have booked us in for a quote, prior to our visit, we will call them again to make sure that they are happy with this arrangement.

We are able to provide quotes for trees and hedges located in a rear garden if we can view them via a side gate. For trees and hedges situated in the front of a property  we can avoid contact with our clients altogether.

In line with government guidelines, we have also made the following adjustments:

1. Our vehicles are cleaned at the beginning and end of each day.

2. Our crews carry hand sanitisers and regularly use it during the working day.

3. Our vehicles carry a maximum of two members of staff. The middle seat is left vacant and provides a suitable distance to reduce the risk of cross contamination.

4. The Contract Manager is working independently, quoting, setting up work, checking completed work etc.

5. We are being selective about what work we are able to carry out that will allow our crew to work at a distance from the general public.

6. The only housing work being carried out are the sites where we have already vetted as appropriate for work to be carried out during the present situation.

7. There is only one member of staff at each office.

8. Sanitisers are supplied for both offices.  

We listen to government updates on a daily basis and we’re ready to respond and implement new working structures as and when is necessary. 

During this lockdown period, if you would like any tree services or hedge trimming work undertaken, please call 01708 578 017.

​Chelmsford Tree Surgeon remains committed in providing you with the safest tree care service possible.
​

How do trees know that it is spring and time to start growing again? Surely they can't tell the time and they don't have little calendars in their trunks, but each spring they seem to know that it's time once again to bloom, to grow buds and to grow the leaves back that fell the previous autumn. But how?

Trees are living things and as such have molecules and enzymes in them that signal the changes in season. The big thing about spring is that we have more sunlight and as sunlight is a very important thing to a tree, they begin to grow and bloom once again when they are getting more hours of sunlight each day. But it was warm and sunny that day in February you may say, that may be true, but it wasn't enough sunlight on a daily basis so not enough to tell the trees it was spring once again.

We can see the changes on the trees quite easily, they bud and new leaves start to grow, this is the main growing time for trees, as they look to reproduce. Experts say that this season is like a tree's adolescence as it is the main growing time. Trunk growth is something that happens throughout the summer months and root growth occurs in the fall and winter, but the prettiest part of all is in the spring.

Trees typically have two kinds of buds, the large ones that will one day become flowers and the smaller thinner ones that will one day will be the vegetation (the leaves). This all occurs quite fast in the grand scheme of things and during the summer we can reap the rewards of the fruit (if its a fruit tree) or look forward to picking up all the leaves once again come fall.

For trees to be lovely in the spring means that they have had a winter on them with temperatures between -5 and 10 C, this triggers a physiological reaction within the tree itself with the hormones and enzymes to allow the tree to be radiant once winter has ended.
​
Trees are beautiful things and are very adaptable. They give us shade, they give us privacy and they beautify our gardens and parks. While we may not give them a second look, trees have a lot going on just beneath the surface and, like humans have their time to grow and develop.

If you would like a local tree surgeon in Chelmsford to help you out.
​Please call on 01245 527 053.

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 You have undoubtedly seen a lot of trees, perhaps you have even grown some on your own property. But how much do you know about trees and their pruning needs? There are some aspects of this you need to consider.

First, you have to understand how a tree works, to find out the importance of tree pruning. In essence, the tree is a complex living organism with a self-supporting system. Trees convert carbon from our atmosphere into sugars, which are used to create blocks of cellulose and lignin to sustain themselves. Trees absorb water, along with other essential nutrients through the roots. These nutrients are transported to the leaves via a tubular system of vessels, known as the xylem. Minerals and sugars are then used by the tree to flower and produce fruit.

You may wonder why you need to prune trees. The main purpose of pruning is to improve the structure of the tree. In essence, pruning consists of controlled removal of branches, so there is also the benefit of clearing broken branches. If the tree is planted close to a structure, you may need to prune it just to provide some clearance. You should only prune trees that need it because removing a big branch creates an opportunity for disease entering via the wound or simply weaken the tree through the removal of a large part of leaf material. Removing branches is not a safe process, as it requires special gear and training. In many cases, you need to leave this job to expert arborists, who can easily handle the task.

To prune a tree correctly, you need to understand how branches work. They grow from buds, which in time become twigs. During the process of incremental growth, in which the tree produces a ring of growth, the branches grow as well. The point where the branch attaches itself to the tree is known as the branch bark ridge. To keep the wound of pruning as small as possible, you need the final cut to be no larger than a third of the stem/branch. If you are removing a branch, you must do the final cut from the bark ridge to the collar in such a way as to minimise the final wound. If you remove a large branch, you up the risk of disease. Fungi and bacteria can enter the tree via the wound and cause all sort of trouble.

Pruning should not take place at random periods. Generally, you should do it after the leaves have had a chance to harden, i.e. late spring and early summer. However, there are exceptions to this rule, such as with Walnut, Maples and Birch, all of which bleed sap if pruned in spring. For these trees, you should wait for mid-summer or mid-winter pruning.

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If you are in the Chelmsford area of Essex, or nearby and need your trees pruned, call Chelmsford Tree Surgeon on 01245 527 053.

Trees can make the outside of your property look beautiful. Having trees in your garden can create areas for shade or can be there as a feature. As much as trees are easy to plant and grow, maintaining them is an important step to helping them stay healthy, grow stronger and protect your property for accidental damage.
 
Do you need to prune trees?
Yes. Trees should be trimmed or pruned periodically, and sometimes branches need to be cut off to help ensure the health of the tree and your safety. Here is why tree pruning must be a part of your ongoing garden maintenance:

1. Regular pruning provides the opportunity to remove dead or diseased branches  which will improve the overall health of the tree. Pruning also strengthens the trees, when the sunlight and nutrients are distributed to fewer branches. Pruning also helps the tree flower or bear fruit better in the subsequent year.
2. Pruning allows you to detect and remove any weaker branches that could cause damage to the property or people if they fall.
3. Trimming and shaping a tree can improve its physical appearance.

 
How often should you trim your trees?
We suggest pruning or trimming trees once per year during the dormant season, which can vary depending on the species of your tree. For major tree cutting, like crown thinning, we suggest every 3-5 years.

The dormant season is classed as the period when the fruit or flowering season has passed. This is usually between late autumn and before the start of spring.

Other times when tree pruning may be necessary are:

• After high winds and a tree has suffered damage
• When trees grow too much during the active season and cause obstructions
• When trees grow into something, such as a power line (on these occasions let the utility company know)

Can you trim, prune or cut a tree yourself?
The quick answer is maybe. It depends on the type of tree, how big it is and where it is located. Before embarking on this yourself, think about your safely. This is a dangerous job, especially when you are dealing with older and larger trees. Check your tree and use our rule of thumb to help you decide:

• Branches smaller than 5cm in diameter: You can do yourself
• Branches between 5-10cm in diameter: Think twice whether you really should do it yourself
• Branches wider than 10cm in diameter: Call a Tree Surgeon

​If you have any doubt, then it’s probably likely that you should call in an expert arborist. They will be able to complete the job in a timely and safe manner and they will be able to dispose of your branches too. 

Contact us for the following tree services in Chelmsford:
​Emergency Tree Services |  Tree Pruning |  Tree Removal | Stump Removal | ​Stump Grinding | ​Crown Lifting | Crown Thinning | Hedge Trimming

We cover:
Billericay, Blackmore, Boreham, Broomfield, Chelmsford, Danbury, East Hanningfield, Hatfield Peveral Ingatestone, ​Little Baddow, Maldon, Margaretting,  Mountnessing, Newney Green, Radley Green, Roxwell, Stock, West Hanningfield, Writtle.

Only a tiny minority of trees in England are protected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPO). These are made and managed by local authorities. Some of them are protected because they are within a conservation area. Unauthorised work to trees of this nature could lead to prosecution, so it is in your best interest to do your research before undertaking any tree work. 
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Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) are administered by Local Planning Authorities (LPA) and are made to protect trees that bring significant benefit to the local area. This protection is particularly important where trees are under threat. 

All types of tree can be protected, and a TPO can protect anything from a single tree to all trees within a defined area or woodland. Any species can be protected, but no species is automatically protected by a Tree Preservation Order.

When a tree has a TPO it becomes a criminal offence to cut down, top, lop, uproot, wilfully damage or wilfully destroy the tree(s). Serious cases will be dealt with by the Crown Court where an unlimited fine can be imposed.

Many local authorities now have online maps to help you investigate if a tree is protected by a TPO or is in a conservation area. Try looking at Chelmsford City Councils website for more information. 

You might also find it helpful to seek the advice of a tree surgeon prior to making an application. If you would like to contact Chelmsford Tree Surgeon, call us on 01245 527 053.

Contact us for the following tree services:
​Emergency Tree Services |  Tree Pruning |  Tree Removal | Stump Removal | ​Stump Grinding | ​Crown Lifting | 
Crown Thinning | Hedge Trimming