If you’ve got a mature tree in the garden, you’ll know that lovely feeling of shade on a summer afternoon can turn into a nagging worry after a night of high winds. Was that creak just the branches settling, or something more serious? You’re not alone in asking — after last autumn’s storms, demand for emergency tree work across the UK jumped by as much as 300 to 500% within 48 hours, as homeowners rushed to get damaged and unstable trees checked out.
The good news is that the industry has moved on a long way from a bloke with a chainsaw and a ladder. Many arborists now use drone surveys to get a close look at the crown of a tall tree without anyone needing to climb it, spotting deadwood, disease or structural weakness that’s easy to miss from the ground. It means problems can be caught and dealt with before they become an emergency.
It’s also worth knowing what to look out for yourself between visits. Deadwood in the canopy, bark that’s splitting or peeling away, a lean that seems to be getting worse, or fungus at the base of the trunk are all signs a tree could do with a professional look. None of these mean the tree has to come down — often some careful crown thinning or reduction is all that’s needed — but they’re worth having checked rather than ignored.
Whoever you call in, make sure they’re properly qualified. Look for NPTC or LANTRA certification and full public liability insurance — tree work carried out badly, or by someone unqualified, can cause far more damage (and cost) than the problem you started with.
For gardens across Putney and South West London, Putney Tree Surgeons offer fully insured, NPTC-qualified tree care, from routine pruning to storm damage and emergency callouts. You can find out more about their work at putneytreesurgeons.co.uk/.
