Crown thinning and canopy reduction in Erin Mills
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- Free written quotes
- Arborists on every job
- Storm calls after hours
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Only two boxes are required, your name and a phone number. The rest just helps us picture the tree.
Got it, thank you. Expect a call from one of our arborists before the next working day is over, and you can choose a visit slot together. Tree on the house right now? Ring (289) 206-8338.
When a crown needs thinning or reduction
- The grass under the tree won't grow
- The house stays dark all summer
- The tree sways hard in the wind
- Branches reach over the roof from every side
- The tree has grown too tall for the yard
A crown that's too thick catches wind like a sail and keeps the sun off your lawn and windows. Thinning takes out selected inside branches so light and wind pass through. Reduction shortens the whole crown, so a tree that outgrew its spot fits again.
Every cut goes back to a healthy side branch. That keeps the tree strong and its shape natural, with no stubs left to rot.
What thinning and reduction include
- Look at the whole crown and mark the branches to remove
- Take out crossing, rubbing and crowded inside branches
- Shorten the longest limbs back to side branches
- Keep the natural shape, taking no more than a quarter of the leaves
What it costs
On a big mature crown, plan on $800 to $1,500 or more. A smaller tree costs the same as a regular trim, $300 to $800. How tall it is, how easy it is to reach and how crowded the crown has become decide the final figure.
Get my written priceBig crowns near the ravines take more wind
Homes that back onto the Sawmill Valley trail and the Credit River ravines often have large trees near the slope, where wind comes up the valley with little to slow it. A thick crown on a slope puts extra strain on the roots. Thinning lets the wind through and takes some of that strain off.
Questions about crown thinning and canopy reduction
What's the difference between thinning and reduction?
Thinning works from the inside: selected branches come out and the outline stays put. Reduction pulls the whole outline in. Plenty of Erin Mills maples get some of each.
Is crown thinning bad for the tree?
Done properly, it is fine for the tree. We cap it at a quarter of the leaves and finish every cut at a healthy side branch, so growth carries on normally.
How often should a crown be thinned?
Most grown trees go three to five years between thinnings; a fast grower such as silver maple often comes due sooner.
Will thinning stop branches falling in storms?
It lowers the risk by letting wind through and taking weight off long limbs. No tree is storm-proof, but a thinned crown carries much less load in high wind.
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