Are you concerned that a tree in your garden might be unsafe? Have you noticed cracks, lean, or fungi on a tree and wondered if it could fall? At Leicester Tree Services, we often get called when someone thinks their tree could be dangerous. Common signs that a tree might pose a risk include cracks in the trunk, soft or hollow areas, dead branches, mushrooms growing from the roots, and leaning stems. If branches hang over your home or footpaths, they could fall unexpectedly. Noticing these things early can save a lot of trouble later.

You might ask: What does an arborist do? That’s a very good question, and it’s one we’re happy to answer. An arborist is a trained expert who understands how trees grow, what keeps them healthy, and what to do when something goes wrong. Arborists are like tree doctors. They don’t just cut branches or remove trees—they carefully study trees to figure out the best way to care for them. At Leicester Tree Services, we have certified arborists on our team. That means they have passed special training and exams to learn about tree biology, safety, proper pruning techniques, and how to spot diseases.

When an arborist visits your property, they don’t just look at the tree from the outside. They check the tree’s leaves, branches, bark, trunk, and roots. They look for signs of rot, pests, cracks, fungi, deadwood, or weak spots that could cause problems later. Arborists also take into account the location of the tree. For example, is the tree too close to your house, fence, driveway, or power lines? Is it leaning too far or losing its leaves early? These are things a trained eye can assess quickly and accurately.

Arborists can identify diseases or stress signs in your trees before they become dangerous. Sometimes, a tree may look healthy on the outside but could be suffering inside due to poor soil, a damaged root system, or decay. That’s where a skilled arborist is very helpful. They will explain what’s wrong in simple terms and suggest the best solution, whether that means pruning, bracing, treating the soil, or removing the tree if it’s unsafe.

They also know exactly how and when to prune a tree. Pruning isn’t just about making the tree look tidy. If done incorrectly, it can weaken the tree or shorten its life. But when done properly by an arborist, pruning helps the tree grow better, stay balanced, and avoid damage during storms. Arborists understand the natural shape and growth pattern of each tree species. They’ll remove the right branches and keep the healthy ones in place, so your tree stays strong for years to come.

In some cases, trees may need to be supported with special braces or cables. This is common with older trees that are still strong but have weak limbs. An arborist knows how to install support systems that help trees grow safely without the need for cutting them down.

Another part of an arborist’s job is to provide clear, written advice or reports. If you’re applying for planning permission, dealing with tree protection orders, or working with your insurance company, you may need a professional tree report. Our arborists can prepare these documents for you. These reports include everything from the tree’s condition to safety risks, recommended actions, and estimated costs.

Finally, arborists work with the right tools and safety equipment. Our team uses ropes, harnesses, helmets, chainsaws, and climbing gear that meet professional standards. We also carry full insurance to protect you, your property, and our workers. Some trees are tall, unstable, or located in tight spaces, so it’s very important that only trained experts carry out the work. Whether we’re pruning, removing, or inspecting a tree, our arborists follow strict safety procedures at every step.

In short, an arborist is someone you can trust to care for your trees the right way. At Leicester Tree Services, our certified arborists are here to help you make smart, safe choices for your trees—keeping your garden healthy, your home safe, and your outdoor spaces looking their best.

Many people ask us if they can just do their own tree work. It's a fair question. After all, if you’ve got a ladder and a saw, it might seem like a job you can handle yourself. But this brings us to an important point: Why tree work should never be a DIY job. Tree care may look easy from the ground, but it’s actually one of the most dangerous types of outdoor work you can attempt without the proper skills, tools, and training. Even small jobs like trimming branches can lead to injury or serious damage if done the wrong way.

One of the biggest risks is working at height. Many trees are taller than they look from the ground, and climbing them without safety ropes, harnesses, or proper ladders is extremely risky. People often lose their balance, misjudge the weight of a branch, or find that their ladder isn’t stable once they’re already in a dangerous spot. Falling from just a few metres up can cause serious injuries. Even professional arborists like us wear helmets, safety gear, and use ropes or lifting equipment to avoid falls, because safety is always the top priority.

Then there's the issue of heavy branches and tools. Using chainsaws, handsaws, or pruning shears can be tricky, especially if you're trying to cut through thick wood. Chainsaws, in particular, are powerful machines that must be handled with care. Without the proper training, they can kick back, jam, or cause accidents. On top of that, freshly cut branches often fall in unexpected ways. A large limb can swing or bounce after being cut and cause injury or damage fences, windows, or roofs. We’ve seen it happen too many times—what looks like a simple job ends up being a costly mistake.

Another problem with DIY tree work is the risk of making the wrong cut. Trees are living things, and when they are cut the wrong way, they don’t always recover. Cutting too much off the top or removing large branches too quickly can put the tree into shock. This can lead to disease, rot, and in some cases, even kill the tree. We often visit gardens where a well-meaning homeowner has done heavy pruning that weakened the tree instead of helping it. For example, if you remove too much foliage too fast, the tree can't make enough energy through photosynthesis. That puts stress on the entire system.

Also, many people don’t know about tree structure or how to cut in a way that allows the tree to heal properly. A branch that’s cut in the wrong spot might leave an open wound that never closes, which lets fungus, insects, and bacteria get inside. Or worse, the cut may cause the branch to split or tear the trunk, leaving long-term damage. Every species of tree has its own growth pattern and pruning needs. What works for one tree may harm another. That’s why we always assess the type of tree before deciding how and where to cut.

There are also legal and safety considerations. Some trees are protected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs), and you could face fines if you work on them without permission. Others may be close to power lines, buildings, roads, or neighbouring properties. If a branch falls onto a neighbour’s garden or car, you could be held responsible for damages. That’s why having professional cover, insurance, and training makes a huge difference.

At Leicester Tree Services, we take every precaution to make sure tree work is done safely and correctly. We use specialised climbing gear, strong ropes, chainsaws, rigging equipment, and tools designed for each task. Our team is trained to assess the job before we even start, to make sure we understand the risks. For tall trees or trees in tricky spots (like near homes or sheds), we often use winches or pulleys to lower large branches safely to the ground. We also wear the correct personal protection equipment (PPE), such as helmets, eye protection, gloves, and chainsaw trousers.

Most importantly, we know how to leave the tree healthy and stable. Whether we’re pruning, reducing the crown, or removing deadwood, we work in a way that supports long-term growth and avoids future problems. Our goal is always to improve safety and tree health—not just to “cut it back.”

So if you’re thinking about doing tree work on your own, we’d gently encourage you to think again. What seems like a quick weekend job can quickly turn into a dangerous situation. In most cases, it's safer, faster, and often cheaper in the long run to call in professionals like us. We’ll take care of the hard work, give you peace of mind, and make sure your trees look great and stay strong.

Let us also help clear up some of the most common myths about tree care. There’s a lot of advice out there, especially online or passed down by word of mouth, but not all of it is accurate. Over the years, we’ve come across many misunderstandings about how trees should be looked after. At Leicester Tree Services, we believe it’s important to share the truth. When people have the right information, their trees live longer, grow stronger, and stay safer.

One of the biggest myths we hear is that topping a tree—cutting off the top part of the tree to reduce its height—is a good idea. But in reality, topping is one of the worst things you can do to a tree. It doesn’t make the tree shorter in a healthy way. Instead, it causes stress. When the top is cut off, the tree tries to regrow quickly by sending out lots of weak shoots from just below the cut. These shoots grow fast, but they’re not strong. They break more easily in the wind and are more likely to get diseases. Topping also opens up large wounds that the tree struggles to heal, which can lead to rotting and decay inside the trunk.

Another common myth is that pruning in late autumn is best because the tree is slowing down. While that might sound logical, autumn is actually one of the worst times to prune many types of trees. That’s because as the weather gets colder and wetter, trees begin to go dormant, and their natural ability to seal off cuts becomes slower. Also, fungi and bacteria that cause tree diseases are more active in cool, damp conditions—meaning the tree is more likely to get infected after a cut. Instead, late winter or early spring is usually the best time to prune most trees, when they are still dormant but just about to grow again. This allows for quicker healing and better regrowth.

Some people believe that trees don’t feel pain, so it doesn’t really matter how they are cut. While it’s true that trees don’t feel pain the same way humans or animals do, they still respond to damage. When a tree is cut in the wrong place or injured by tools or machinery, it can’t just fix itself instantly. Rough cuts, torn bark, or wounds that are too large can weaken the tree for years. Damaged bark can let in insects, water, or rot, which leads to decay spreading from the inside. Just because a tree can’t cry out doesn’t mean it doesn’t suffer long-term harm.

Another myth we hear is that painting over a tree wound will protect it. Years ago, people used to paint black tar or wound sealants over fresh cuts, thinking it would block out disease. Today, we know that this often does more harm than good. Many fungi and bacteria that cause disease actually live inside the tree, not outside. By sealing the wound, you can sometimes trap moisture and disease inside, which prevents the tree from healing naturally. Trees are usually very good at sealing their own wounds over time—if they’re cut properly. A clean, angled cut made in the right place helps the tree heal far better than paint or sealants.

Another big myth is that older trees are too big or too delicate to prune, so people just leave them alone. But in truth, proper pruning can actually extend the life of an old tree. When mature trees are thinned carefully by a professional, it reduces the weight on heavy limbs, improves airflow through the crown, and allows more sunlight to reach lower branches and nearby plants. This kind of thinning helps the tree stay balanced and healthy, and lowers the chance of branches snapping during storms. Of course, older trees should never be over-pruned, but selective, well-planned cuts can keep them safe and beautiful for many more years.

There’s also the belief that anyone can prune a tree if they’ve got a saw or clippers. But that’s not true either. Each species of tree grows in its own way. Some need light shaping each year, others need deep pruning only once in a while. If you prune the wrong way, at the wrong time, or remove too much too quickly, you can upset the tree’s natural balance. It may grow back poorly or become more prone to disease. That’s why trained arborists like our team at Leicester Tree Services always assess the tree first and plan the pruning around its species, age, and health.

At the end of the day, our goal is to help you understand the truth about tree care. When you have good information, you can take better care of your garden and avoid costly mistakes. Trees are strong, but they still need proper care. They grow slowly, and it can take many years to fix a mistake—or in some cases, a tree may not recover at all. That’s why we always aim to provide helpful advice, based on experience, science, and what’s best for the tree.

So, if you’ve heard something about trees and you’re not sure if it’s true, feel free to ask us. We’re happy to explain, correct common myths, and give you honest guidance. At Leicester Tree Services, we believe that healthy trees come from informed choices, and we’re here to help you every step of the way.

At Leicester Tree Services, our goal is to help you understand when a tree may pose a danger and what to do about it. We offer expert arborist assessments, professional pruning, tree removal, and safety advice, always guided by industry standards and care for your property. We want to help you avoid DIY mistakes and make smart choices for tree health. Our team of arborists is trained to identify warning signs, carry out safe work, and explain what needs to be done in clear, simple words.

If you are curious whether any tree in your garden or on your property might be risky, or if you need safe trimming, removal, or advice from an arborist, please get in touch with us. We’re happy to inspect and help you make the best decisions for your trees and your safety.