Crown Thinning in Richmond Hill

What Crown Thinning Is

Crown thinning means selectively removing some of the smaller inner branches in a tree’s canopy. The overall shape and size of the tree stay the same, but the crown becomes less dense. Light and air get through, and the tree catches less wind.

Why Thin a Crown?

• More light for your lawn and garden underneath.
• Less wind resistance, which reduces strain on big limbs in storms.
• Less weight on long, heavy branches.
• Better air flow through the canopy.

Thinning Done Right

The key is restraint. Good thinning takes out a modest amount of the live canopy, spread evenly through the crown, not all from the inside. Stripping out all the inner branches (sometimes called “lion’s tailing”) leaves long bare limbs with foliage only at the tips, which makes them weaker. Topping, where the top of the tree is cut off flat, is even worse. We don’t do either.

Is Thinning What Your Tree Needs?

Sometimes the real problem is a few specific limbs, over the roof or the driveway, and a targeted trim makes more sense. Sometimes it’s dead branches. We’ll look at the tree with you and explain what we’d recommend and why. Then it’s your call.

Cleanup

As always, every branch is hauled away, and we rake up and sweep before we leave.