Tree pruning & maintenance
Tree pruning and maintenance in Bidford-on-Avon
Crown reductions, lifts, thinning and deadwooding that let light in, keep branches off the house and keep the tree healthy for decades.
Tree Pruning
Keep the tree, lose the problem
Most trees don't need felling. They need the right cuts, in the right places, at the right time of year. Good pruning brings light back into a garden, takes weight off long limbs and keeps branches clear of roofs, gutters and phone lines – without the tree looking hacked.
We prune to the British Standard for tree work, BS 3998, which sets out how much to remove and where to cut so the tree heals well and stays strong. That matters. Over-pruning and "topping" weaken a tree, encourage weak regrowth and can shorten its life.
Whether it's a garden apple, a mature oak or a line of street limes, we'll look at the tree, tell you what it needs and give you a fixed written price.
Is this the right service?
When a tree needs pruning
Not sure? Send us a photo and we'll tell you honestly what the tree or hedge needs.
- Branches are touching or overhanging the roof, gutters or a neighbour's property
- The garden is in shade for most of the day
- Dead branches are dropping onto the lawn, drive or road
- The tree has grown lopsided or a limb looks overloaded
- A previously pollarded tree is due its next cycle
- A fruit tree has stopped producing well
- A surveyor or insurer has asked for a reduction near the house
How we work
How a pruning job runs
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1
Assess
We look at the species, its health and what you want to achieve, then recommend the type and amount of pruning that will get you there.
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2
Permissions
If the tree is protected or in a conservation area we make the council application, describing the work in BS 3998 terms.
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3
Prune
Our climbers work through the crown by rope and harness, making clean cuts at the branch collar and lowering larger limbs on ropes.
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4
Tidy
Brash is chipped, logs are stacked or removed and the garden is swept. We'll tell you when the tree is next due a look.
Doing it properly
Safety, permissions and waste
Pruning a tree with a Tree Preservation Order needs council consent, and in a conservation area you must give six weeks' notice for anything more than minor work. Applications have to say exactly what will be done – "reduce crown by 2 metres to leave a height of 10 metres", not just "prune". We write and submit them for you.
Every climb is done with LOLER-inspected kit, a second person on the ground and an aerial rescue plan in place. We avoid heavy pruning during nesting season where we can and always check for nests first. Brash is chipped for mulch and timber is logged, so nothing is wasted.
FAQs
Tree pruning questions
Can't find what you need? Give us a call – we're happy to talk it through.
A reduction makes the whole canopy smaller – shorter and narrower – while keeping its shape. A lift removes the lowest branches to raise the canopy off the ground, giving headroom under the tree without changing its height.
Most deciduous trees are best pruned in late winter while dormant. Avoid pruning cherries, plums and other stone fruit in winter – summer is safer for them. Walnuts, maples and birches bleed sap in spring, so leave those until summer too. We'll advise for your species.
No. Topping – cutting all the branches back to stubs – causes weak, fast regrowth and decay. A proper crown reduction achieves the same drop in height but leaves the tree healthy and looking natural.
It depends on the species and its condition. As a rule we don't remove more than about a third of the crown in one go. Removing more stresses the tree and often produces worse regrowth than you started with.
Only if it has a TPO or is in a conservation area. We check both for every job and handle the application if one is needed. Dead branches can usually be removed without consent.
It depends on the size of the tree, the amount of work and the access. Small garden trees take a couple of hours; a large reduction is a full day. We give a fixed price after a free visit.
Where we work
Tree pruning across Bidford-on-Avon and Warwickshire
We're based in Bidford-on-Avon and cover Warwickshire, Worcestershire and the West Midlands within about 25 miles. Further out? Ask and we'll tell you straight.
- Bidford-on-Avon
- Stratford-upon-Avon
- Alcester
- Evesham
- Chipping Campden
- Moreton-in-Marsh
- Redditch
- Studley
- Henley-in-Arden
- Pershore
- Broadway
- Bromsgrove
- Warwick
- Leamington Spa
- Worcester
- Gloucester
Somewhere else? Call Knights Tree Surgery on Call us on 07825 210044 and we'll let you know.
Free, no-obligation quotes
Want more light without losing the tree?
Book a free visit and we'll tell you exactly what the tree needs, how much it will cost and when it should be done.
Get a free quote for tree pruning
Tell us a little about the job and we'll come back to you with an honest, fixed price.
You might also need
Related services
- Tree Felling & Removal Safe removal of trees of any size, from straight fells to sectional dismantling in tight spaces.
- Hedge Cutting & Maintenance Sharp, tidy hedges of any height, plus reductions and reshaping for hedges that have got away.
- Tree & Hedge Planting The right tree or hedge for the spot, planted properly and given the best start.