A Tree Surgeon’s Guide to Crown Reduction

by Madeline White Innovation

Crown reduction means bringing down the height or spread of a tree's crown. A crown is defined as the tree's foliage-bearing portions. Tree surgeons in Epsom accomplish the crown reduction by making a series of small cuts to parts of the crown, which is identified in the pre-reduction survey. The cuts are introduced in such a precision-based manner so that the crown's main framework is left intact.

What is crown reduction?

Crow reduction needs to be carried out on trees that have become or are becoming unsuitable to their surrounding environment. It is required for trees that are no longer able to take in adequate light owing to increasing foliage density, or even, for that matter, by simply growing too tall. In ideal circumstances, once the tree surgeons have finished a crown reduction, a tree's crown will appear similar in shape. This is the most fitting solution for trees that pose a problem due to their largeness. The parts of the crown are usually identified in a pre-reduction survey.

When is crown reduction the suitable form of tree surgery?

When a large tree poses severe difficulties for the environment, a crown reduction is often required. But that does not imply it is a universal solution to all kinds of intrusive trees. Here, we have outlined when crown reduction might be the right form of tree surgery for the circumstances at hand:

The tree has become too large, but we don’t want to radically cut it off.
The tree has become unstable due to changes in its surrounding environment
The tree is not getting adequate light due to the dense nature of its foliage
It is in danger of encroaching or intruding into a neighbour’s property line
The tree’s crown is out of shape

When is a crown reduction the wrong form of tree surgery?

However, crown reduction can't be a universal solution to all kinds of tree problems. And it holds true for the following two circumstances:

If the tree is a conifer or Maple, it might not be suitable for a crown reduction.
If the tree is poorly positioned, it can once again grow too abundantly and can pose a problem again. Felling and re-planting the tree, in this case, would be a more long-term solution.

If your tree is causing obstacles or intruding into the neighbour’s territory, a crown reduction might as well be the fitting thing in this case. Let the tree surgeons in Epsom survey the condition of the tree, and they can decide if a crown reduction is a suitable option.