You’ve got a tree or hedge that’s getting a little too big for your garden, should you call your regular gardener or a local tree surgeon?
While gardeners and tree surgeons both work with plants, trees, and outdoor spaces, the two professions differ in key ways, especially in safety, specialist equipment and understanding tree health.
Knowing who to call could save you money, prevent unnecessary damage to your trees and, most importantly, ensure the work is carried out safely.
What does a gardener do?
A good gardener is worth their weight in gold for keeping your outdoor space looking its best. From mowing lawns and maintaining flower beds to weeding, planting and trimming smaller hedges, gardeners provide the regular attention that keeps gardens healthy and attractive.
Many gardeners can also prune shrubs and smaller trees, but only when working at ground level using ordinary gardening equipment. However, there comes a point when tree maintenance requires specialist knowledge, training and equipment.
That’s where a local tree surgeon is required.
What does a local tree surgeon do?
A local tree surgeon, sometimes called an arborist, specialises in tree care, maintenance and management. Their work goes well beyond cutting branches. It involves understanding how trees grow, recognising signs of disease or structural weakness and knowing how different species respond to pruning.
Tree surgeons undertake specialist training to carry out potentially hazardous tasks, including working at height, using chainsaws, managing large trees and safely lowering heavy branches to the ground. They can also assess whether a tree needs pruning, further investigation or removal.
Importantly, a good tree surgeon won’t automatically recommend cutting a tree down just because it’s causing a problem. Often, careful pruning or crown management can provide a more appropriate solution.
Read our article: The benefits of hiring a professional tree surgeon.
When does tree work become too much for a gardener?
There’s no simple rule; however, certain types of work should be left to appropriately trained and equipped professionals. If the job involves climbing into the canopy, using a chainsaw, removing large branches or working close to buildings, roads or overhead services, it’s time to contact a local tree surgeon.
Large branches can be surprisingly heavy, and removing the wrong branch can affect a tree’s balance or cause lasting damage.
Local tree surgeons have the training and equipment to plan and carry out this work safely, protecting the tree, your property and everyone nearby.
Tree health requires specialist knowledge
Sometimes a tree needs attention because something doesn’t look quite right. You might notice dead branches, leaf discolouration, fungal growth, cracks in the trunk or areas of the canopy that appear to be dying.
While an experienced gardener may recognise that something is wrong, diagnosing tree health problems and assessing structural defects can require specialist arboricultural knowledge.
A local tree surgeon can examine the symptoms, consider possible causes and recommend appropriate action. Where more detailed investigation is needed, they can advise on obtaining a specialist tree assessment.
This is particularly important with mature trees, where incorrect pruning or unnecessary removal can have significant consequences.
What about pruning and reducing trees?
Pruning is one area where homeowners can easily become confused. Trimming a small ornamental tree is very different from reducing the crown of a mature oak or removing substantial branches.
Poor pruning can leave a tree vulnerable to decay, encourage weak regrowth or permanently damage its natural shape.
Local tree surgeons understand how different species respond to pruning and how to carry out work in accordance with recognised arboricultural recommendations, including BS 3998. The aim should be to achieve the desired result while protecting the long-term health and structure of the tree.
Read our article: Tree surgery and the dangers of working at height.
Removing a tree is a specialist job
If a tree needs to be felled, it’s almost always a job for a local tree surgeon unless it’s a very small specimen that can be handled safely from the ground.
In an open space, some trees can be felled in one piece. However, most domestic gardens don’t provide that luxury. There may be fences, sheds, greenhouses, patios, neighbouring properties or other trees nearby.
In these situations, a local tree surgeon may need to dismantle the tree in sections, using specialist climbing and rigging techniques to lower branches and timber safely. It’s skilled work that requires careful planning, the right equipment and an experienced team.
What about qualifications and insurance?
Before employing someone to carry out significant tree work, it’s worth checking their qualifications, experience and insurance.
Local tree surgeons should hold appropriate training and competency certifications for the tasks they’re undertaking, including chainsaw operation, climbing and aerial tree work where relevant. They should also have suitable insurance, including public liability cover.
Read our article: Quick guide to tree surgeon qualifications.
Looking for a local tree surgeon?
At Branching Out Tree & Garden Services, we’re proud to be an ARB approved contractor, demonstrating our commitment to recognised standards of tree care, safety and professional working practices.
For homeowners across Hitchin, North Herts and Bedfordshire, this provides additional reassurance that their trees and property are in capable hands. Contact Branching Out for a free, no-obligation quotation.