Most trees are perfectly safe and live happily for decades. But a small number become hazardous, and on a mature tree the warning signs are easy to miss until a limb comes down. Here is what to look for in your Crawley garden, and when to act.
Warning signs to check
- Dead or hanging branches in the crown, especially large ones over a drive, path or seating area. Summer is the best time to spot them, when the rest of the tree is in full leaf and the bare wood stands out.
- A new or worsening lean, particularly if the soil on one side is lifting or cracking. A tree that has always leaned is usually fine; a lean that has just appeared is not.
- Fungal brackets at the base or on the trunk. These often signal internal decay, even when the tree looks healthy above.
- Cracks, cavities or peeling bark on the main stem, and splits where two large limbs meet.
- Deadwood and thinning foliage across the crown. On ash this can mean ash dieback, which makes the wood brittle and unpredictable.
When it is an emergency
If a large limb has already fallen, the tree is touching power lines, or it is leaning over your house after wind, treat it as urgent and keep people and cars clear. See our emergency tree work service, or call 01293 310077.
What to do next
Don't fell in a panic. Many alarming-looking trees just need deadwood removed or a crown clean, not the whole tree. Get it assessed first: a tree survey tells you the real risk, and whether the tree is protected by a TPO (protected trees still need consent, though genuine emergencies are exempt). From there it might be monitoring, pruning, or planned removal.
If a tree is worrying you, we're happy to take a look and give honest advice before any work is quoted.
Free, no-obligation quotes across Crawley & the Crawley area
Call 01293 310077