Deadwooding is the removal of dead, dying or rotten branches from a tree’s canopy. It is one of the most regular tree surgery jobs we carry out across Chester and Cheshire, and it is also one of the most under-booked. Most landowners only notice dead branches when one comes down, and by then the work is harder and the risk has already played out.
Deadwooding is the process of removing dead or rotten branches from a tree. Rot does not stay confined to one branch; it can spread along live wood and into the main trunk, weakening the structure of the tree over time. Heavy branches that have died or are infected with rot are also a risk of breaking off without warning, particularly during a windy autumn or after a long wet spell.
If a dead branch falls on a parked car, a garden room, a greenhouse, or a person walking underneath, the consequences can be significant. The cost of a planned deadwood visit is small compared with the cost of replacing a glass roof, a fence panel or a windscreen, and it is much smaller than the cost of an injury.
For safe removal of dead or rotting branches, specialist equipment is needed and the work should be carried out by a certified tree surgeon. If the whole tree has died, you may require tree removal services.
Which trees need deadwooding most
Mature broadleaves are the main candidates. Older oaks, limes, sycamores and ashes accumulate dead wood naturally at the ends of the upper canopy, where the tree retreats its growth toward stronger inner branches. The dead wood is much easier to spot in summer than in winter, because the bare patches show against the live green canopy. Ash has been a particular concern across Cheshire in recent years because of ash dieback, and any older ash with significant dead branches now deserves a closer inspection before the dead sections come down on their own.
How we approach the work
Deadwooding is a climbing job for any branch above ground-level reach. We use a combination of rope and harness access for most jobs, and mobile elevating platforms where the site allows. Each dead branch is removed at the collar, the point where it meets the live wood, leaving a clean cut that the tree will seal naturally. Brash is chipped on site and the resulting material taken away, leaving the area below the tree clear.
Properties like these typically benefit from a deadwood visit every couple of years on mature specimens. Once a regular pattern is in place the work is quick, the cost is modest, and the tree stays healthier than one that is only attended to when something has already failed.
Credentials
ARB Approved Contractor, City and Guilds qualified, fully insured. The ARB Approved status is independently audited against the industry standard for tree work, which matters when you are letting someone bring chainsaws into a garden close to your house.
Free no-obligation quote
For a free no-obligation quote on deadwooding anywhere across Chester, Cheshire and North Wales, call Daniel Gilfoyle on 07872 394 540 or 01244 314 065, or email info@absolutetreecareandgardens.co.uk. We come out, look at the tree, and confirm a written price before any work starts.
