Do you have trees in your garden or on your grounds? If so, you might regard them as both a blessing and a curse! Of course, trees are an excellent addition to any outdoor space; they have aesthetic appeal, help prevent flooding, improve air quality, absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, provide a habitat for wildlife, produce food for bees and other bugs, and cast shade in the summer months.
That's all well and good, but they need care and attention if you want to keep them safe and healthy, and that means proper pruning.
Experts, like tree surgeons and arborists, throw around different technical terms relating to tree pruning, but not everyone is up to speed with these methods. The problem is that using the wrong method can be disastrous, even resulting in the loss of a tree.
At Tree Surgeon Pro, we make it our mission to keep you informed, which is why we devoted time to creating helpful blogs on specific topics related to tree care. Today, we're looking at two terms in particular - tree topping and pruning - and explaining the differences.
Let's kick off with a controversial statement that might raise eyebrows: Tree pruning isn't natural or necessary!
Now we've got your attention, we'll explain this further...
In nature, trees cope with everything that's thrown at them. Trees deep in a forest face the wind, weather, disease, frost, etc. And, whatever the situation, trees either survive or they don't, without any interference from humans. They continue to grow, wild and free.
However, when they're close to human habitation, especially in an urban environment, we need to make sure they are safe, which means having properly pruned trees. Pruning also makes healthy trees, so while it might not be 'natural or necessary,' it can be very beneficial - but only if it's carried out correctly. It’s important to consider when is the worst time to prune trees in the UK, as pruning during certain seasons, such as late winter or early spring, can stress the tree and make it more susceptible to disease.
We used the term 'proper pruning' above, implying that 'improper pruning' is possible. This is very important, and it sits at the heart of the message we're trying to get across today. One key aspect of proper pruning is understanding when is the best time to prune trees in the UK, which typically falls in late winter or early spring when trees are dormant, minimizing stress and promoting healthy growth.
In a nutshell, it's this: If you don't use proper pruning techniques and methods, it's best to leave it to a professional arborist or tree surgeon. Failing that, avoid pruning your tree at all, as you may cause fatal damage.
Okay, now we've covered that, we'll investigate a few pruning methods before we talk about tree topping.
Another way to describe these methods is sympathetic pruning techniques, as they are designed to work with natural tree growth patterns, promoting its health and longevity.
Here are a few tried and tested methods that our own experts at Tree Surgeon Pro use frequently, and to great effect...
Crown reduction is used to reduce the overall size of a tree while preserving its natural form and structural integrity. This method is particularly useful for trees that have outgrown their space or need to be kept clear of buildings or power lines. When considering tree topping vs crown reduction, crown reduction is generally the preferred choice as it maintains the tree’s health and shape, unlike topping, which can cause long-term damage.
Instead of removing entire sections of the tree, a trained arborist selects specific branches that need to be shortened.
Pruning cuts are made at lateral branches, which serve as natural growth points. This allows the tree to continue growing in a controlled way rather than producing weak, rapid regrowth.
The aim here is to reduce the tree's height and spread while maintaining a strong branch structure.
Typically, no more than 20-30% of the tree's crown is removed at a time to avoid excessive stress.
Crown thinning is used to selectively remove some of the inner branches to reduce density without altering the tree’s shape. This technique is ideal for overly thick trees, blocking light, or at risk of catching the wind during storms.
The tree surgeon or arborist identifies smaller secondary branches within the crown that can be removed to improve light penetration and airflow.
Careful attention is paid to branch spacing, as the tree’s structure should remain even and well-distributed.
Weak, crossing, or diseased branches are often prioritised for removal to enhance overall health.
Crown lifting involves removing the lower branches of a tree to increase clearance beneath the canopy. This is particularly useful for trees growing near roads, pathways, or buildings where low branches may obstruct access.
Only the lower branches are removed, ensuring the upper canopy remains full and balanced, and care is taken to maintain an even distribution of weight so that the tree doesn’t become top-heavy.
The cuts are made strategically to avoid exposing too much of the trunk, as excessive removal can lead to instability.
Pollarding is a specific pruning technique that involves regularly cutting a tree back to the same growth points. It's a traditional technique used to provide a sustainable source of wood for fuel, building materials and weaving (among other things). When comparing tree topping versus pollarding, it’s important to note that pollarding encourages controlled regrowth, whereas topping is often more damaging and can weaken a tree over time.
This method is used on certain tree species (such as willows and plane trees) to keep them at a manageable size while promoting controlled regrowth.
When the tree is young, branches are cut back to a specific point, known as the pollard head.
New shoots grow from this point, creating a distinctive, controlled form, and the process is repeated on a cyclical basis every few years to maintain the tree’s shape and size.
Please note that pollarding must be started when a tree is young. Attempting to pollard a mature tree that hasn’t been maintained this way can cause serious damage!
This is essential for the proper care of trees. By carefully removing dead branches, diseased, or dying limbs, pruning helps prevent decay from spreading and reduces the risk of potential damage from falling branches, especially during storms. It also improves airflow and light penetration, encouraging strong, healthy foliage growth while enhancing the tree’s natural shape.
Well-pruned trees are not only more resilient but also contribute to a safer, more attractive landscape. Whether shaping young trees for future strength or maintaining mature ones, regular pruning ensures trees remain vibrant, structurally sound, and long-lived.
You might think this is a slightly sensational heading, but it's the truth.
Tree topping (also called hat-racking) is when you chop off the upper branches of a tree’s canopy, often leaving ugly stubs. People usually do this because they think the tree is too tall, too wide, or a safety risk, but ironically, topping makes all these problems worse!
As experts in the field of arboriculture, our best advice is this: never use tree topping cuts to prune your tree!
Need some facts to back this up? Then here are some excellent reasons why you should avoid tree topping...
Imagine if someone suddenly cut off your arms at the elbows - how would you cope? Trees are living organisms, and when you remove large portions of their canopy, they go into survival mode. Topped trees are left with lateral branches that can't deliver enough food to the entire tree, as a whole load of their leaves (which are tiny food factories) have suddenly been wiped out.
They respond by sending out a flush of weak, fast-growing shoots* to compensate for the lost leaves. This takes up a huge amount of energy, leaving the tree exhausted and vulnerable.
*Called watersprouts, these are dormant buds that will grow quickly and wildly as a result of severe damage and stress.
A well-structured tree has a balanced, graceful shape that’s taken years (sometimes decades) to develop. Topping destroys that by removing all the large branches from the tree's canopy. The tree ends up looking butchered, with an unnatural, stubby, disfigured appearance. Worse still, the rapid regrowth of new branches after topping is often messy and chaotic, making the tree look even more out of control than before and spoiling its visual appeal.
The new shoots that grow after topping are weakly attached. They’re not anchored properly to the main limbs, meaning they’re far more likely to break off in a storm or high winds. You might think you’re making the tree “safer” by topping it, but you’re setting it up for future damage and hazards.
Topping creates large wounds that trees struggle to heal properly. This makes them a prime target for fungal decay, rot, and pests. In many cases, the tree never fully recovers; it either declines slowly over time or dies outright.
People often top trees thinking it will control their size, but trees don’t work like that. The rapid new growth means the tree can actually end up taller than before, often in just a few years. And because this new growth is weak, you now have a tree that’s both bigger and more dangerous than before, as the structural integrity has been compromised.
In our professional opinion, the only case where tree topping could be considered is when the tree has sustained severe damage during a storm or natural disaster.
If your tree is getting too big or seems unsafe, proper pruning is the way to go. A skilled arborist (tree surgeon) can thin the canopy, remove problematic branches, and shape the tree in a way that keeps it healthy, safe, and looking great.
Tree topping is like giving your tree a really bad haircut, but one that can actually kill it. It’s bad for the tree’s health, its appearance, and its long-term stability. If you want a tree to stay beautiful and safe, skip the topping and go for careful, expert pruning instead!
For the best - and safest - results, always consult a specialist tree service company, like the amazing team at Tree Surgeon Pro, especially for large trees. We have the knowledge and the skills to keep your trees healthy, safe and beautiful!
