Start with the definitions
Three pieces that cover the vocabulary. Worth reading before you compare quotes, because the same word means different things to different operators.
- What is tree removal? - when a tree genuinely warrants coming out
- What is tree lopping? - why the trade word and the customer word do not match
- What is pruning? - the difference between a cut that helps and one that harms
Pruning: technique and timing
- Types of tree pruning - crown lifting, thinning, reduction, dead-wooding
- Tree pruning techniques - where to put the cut and why it matters
- Benefits of tree pruning - what you actually get for the money
- Best time to prune trees - the south-east Queensland calendar
- Trimming and pruning - the difference, and when it matters
- Tree lopping and pruning - doing both well on the same tree
- Pruning cedar trees - a species that punishes hard cuts
Trimming and lopping
- Tree trimming techniques - tools, cuts and common mistakes
- How to trim a tree - seven steps for small trees you can reach
- Tree lopping techniques - notches, hinges and controlled falls
Removal
- Tree removal methods - felling, sectional dismantling, crane removal
- How to remove a tree - the steps, and where DIY stops being sensible
- Tree removal cost guide - ranges and what moves them
- Sunshine Coast tree regulations - approval before the chainsaw
Stumps
- Is stump removal necessary? - the case for and against
- Stump grinding vs stump removal - choosing between them
- How does stump grinding work? - the machine and the process
- Stump removal methods - chemical, manual, mechanical
- Stump removal by hand - a realistic DIY guide
- Stump removal cost - what drives the price
Tree health
- How to fertilise a tree - NPK, soil tests and when not to bother
New pieces are listed on the blog as they are published. If a question is not answered anywhere here, ring (07) 5408 6029 and ask.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I start if I know nothing about tree work?
Read the three definition pieces first - what tree removal is, what tree lopping is, and what pruning is. Between them they cover the vocabulary the industry uses, which is most of what makes tree quotes confusing to compare.
Are these guides specific to the Sunshine Coast?
The technique guides apply anywhere - a reduction cut is a reduction cut. The pieces on timing, species and regulations are written for south-east Queensland conditions, where the growing season, the storm pattern and the council rules are all different to southern states.
Can I do this work myself?
Ground-level pruning on a small tree, yes. Anything requiring a ladder, a rope, or a cut above shoulder height is where the injury statistics live, and most home insurance excludes it. The DIY guides here are written so you know what you are taking on before you start.