Tree pruning and shaping in Cardiff.
Good pruning keeps a tree healthy, safe and looking its best. From shaping young trees as they grow to tidying older ones, every cut is planned, with nothing taken off that does not need to be.
- City & Guilds NPTC Level 2
- Aerial platform and rope access
- Based in Cardiff
Climbing and pruning
The right cut, in the right place.
Formative pruning shapes young trees as they grow, so they develop a strong, well-balanced structure. A little work early on saves a lot of work later.
Structural pruning deals with problems in older trees: crossing or rubbing branches, weak forks, and limbs growing in the wrong direction. Shaping keeps ornamental and garden trees neat and in proportion with the space around them.
Each cut is made back to a suitable branch or growth point, so the tree heals well. For bigger changes to the size of a tree, see crown reduction and thinning. For dead branches, see deadwooding.
When a tree needs pruning.
Young trees
Shaping a young tree now helps it grow strong and balanced, and avoids bigger problems later.
Untidy or unbalanced
Crossing branches, lopsided growth and limbs heading the wrong way, tidied up and brought back into shape.
Too close for comfort
Branches touching a roof, wall, fence, window or cables, cut back to a safe distance.
Pruning, start to finish.
Send us photos
Show the whole tree and tell us what is bothering you about it.
Will checks the tree
Its health and structure, plus Tree Preservation Orders, conservation areas and nesting birds.
A clear plan
A plain quote that explains which branches will come off and why.
Pruned and tidied
The work is done from the ground, the platform or on ropes, and the site is left tidy.
Pruning in action.
Pruning questions.
When is the best time to prune a tree?
Many deciduous trees are best pruned in late autumn and winter, when they are dormant. Some, such as cherries and plums, are usually pruned in summer to reduce the risk of disease. Will can tell you the right time for your tree.
How often should a tree be pruned?
It depends on the type of tree and where it grows. Many garden trees only need attention every few years, while young trees benefit from light formative pruning more often. Will can suggest a sensible interval.
Can I cut back branches from a neighbour's tree?
In general, you can cut branches that overhang your property back to the boundary, but not beyond it. Protection rules still apply, so check for a Tree Preservation Order or conservation area first. It is good practice to talk to your neighbour before any work.
Will pruning hurt my tree?
Not when it is done properly. Clean cuts in the right places heal well. Problems come from cutting too much, cutting in the wrong place or leaving torn stubs, which is exactly what careful pruning avoids.
Do I need permission to prune a tree?
Sometimes. A tree covered by a Tree Preservation Order usually needs consent from Cardiff Council before work. For most trees in a conservation area, six weeks' written notice to the council is usually required. Will checks this before anything is booked and can help you through it.
Other tree work we do.
Crown Reduction and Thinning
A smaller or lighter canopy that keeps the tree's natural shape.
About crown reduction and thinningPollarding
Keeping suitable trees to a set size by cutting back to the same points.
About pollardingHedge Cutting
From garden boundaries to large hedgerows, cut back and shaped.
About hedge cuttingPruning across Cardiff.
We are based in Cardiff and work across the city. Further out? Check your postcode and Will can confirm.
Tree in need of a tidy?
Send a few details and some photos. Will tells you what your tree needs and arranges a quote.