Tree Trimming Wellington

Why Wellington trees need a careful approach

Trees that have grown up in Wellington's wind have adapted to it. Their canopies are often denser on the sheltered side, their branches are shorter and stiffer than the same species would grow elsewhere, and the way the canopy distributes wind load is part of what keeps the tree standing. Trimming that strips the inside of the canopy and leaves tufts of foliage on the ends of long limbs, sometimes called lion-tailing, makes a tree more likely to fail in a gale, not less. In the coastal suburbs salt burn adds another stress, and a tree that has been cut hard in autumn can struggle to recover before winter. We trim with the wind in mind: taking weight off the ends of over-extended limbs, keeping the inner canopy, and removing no more than the tree needs.

How often should trees be trimmed?

It depends on the species and what the trimming is for. Fast growers such as willows, poplars and some eucalypts put on enough growth to need attention most years. Most garden trees are happy with a trim every two to three years. Clearance from power lines, roofs and gutters often needs to be checked yearly, because a branch that was half a metre clear last spring is touching the spouting this one. A regular cycle keeps each visit small and cheap; letting a tree go for a decade and then asking for it to be cut back hard is harder on the tree and on the budget.

What affects the price

The main factors are how tall the tree is and how much of it we have to climb, how many trees are involved, how much material comes off and has to be chipped, and how close the work is to buildings, glass, lines and neighbouring property. Access is the other big one on Wellington's hill sections. A tree we can park beside costs less to trim than one at the bottom of forty steps. We quote after seeing the tree, and the quote covers the work, the chipping and the clean-up.

Trees on a boundary

Branches that hang over from a neighbour's tree, or a shared tree on the fence line, are among the most common reasons people call us. Talk to your neighbour before any work is booked, and ask us if you are not sure what can be cut. Wellington City Council publishes guidance on trees on private property, and some trees are protected and cannot be trimmed without approval. We will tell you if that applies.