The year, roughly
Late winter to early spring. The main pruning window. Deadwood, reduce weight on anything overhanging a roof or a driveway, and thin dense canopies so wind can pass through them. Do it now and you are ahead of both the storm season and the queue. See lopping and pruning.
Spring. Growth flush, and the month people notice how much the tree has taken over the courtyard. It is also the right time to lodge a council application if a removal is coming, because consent takes weeks. Read the permit guide first.
Summer. Southerly busters arrive with a sudden wind shift from the opposite direction to the prevailing north-easterly, and trees that have braced one way get hit the other. Sudden limb drop on still, hot days is a real phenomenon, particularly on angophoras and large eucalypts. Keep emergency numbers handy.
Autumn into winter. East coast lows: days of onshore wind and saturating rain. This is when root plates lift in the sand at Maroubra and Bondi, and when big figs on the harbour side shed limbs. Good time for assessments, because defects are easier to see once deciduous canopies thin out.
Salt, sand and what it does
Trees within a few streets of the ocean carry salt burn on the windward face and grow lopsided away from it. That asymmetry is the tree balancing itself. Pruning it back to a symmetrical shape removes the sound growth holding it in balance, which is one of the most common ways a well-meaning tidy-up makes a tree less stable.
In sand, root plates hold by friction rather than structure. Wet sand plus sustained wind is the failure combination. On the sandstone ridges through Randwick, Coogee and Vaucluse the same tree will shed limbs rather than uproot, because the roots are wedged into rock joints.
Things that are almost always a mistake
Topping a healthy tree. Spiking a palm you intend to keep. Cutting a protected tree first and asking afterwards. Planting a fig, a liquidambar or a camphor laurel within a few metres of a 1920s footing. And accepting a quote that does not say whether debris removal is included.
Where to go next
The practical guides are the cost guide, the council permit guide and the FAQ page. Local conditions by suburb are on the service area pages, and the work itself is described under services.
Questions about a specific tree are better answered by looking at it. Call (02) 9538 7842 or send a photo.
Frequently asked questions
When should I book tree work for the year?
Late winter into early spring for reduction and deadwood pruning, so the work is done before the summer storm season and before crews book out. Removals are driven by council consent timing rather than season, so start the application as soon as you know you want the tree gone — that is the part that takes weeks.
Is mulch from my own tree safe to reuse?
Generally yes, and it is the cheapest soil improvement available. The exceptions are material from a tree removed because of a root or stem disease, and anything containing weed seed such as camphor laurel or privet berries. If the tree came out because it was sick, send the chip away rather than spreading it.