How do I remove a large branch from a tree?

The three-cut method that stops the bark tearing, where the final cut goes, and the point at which this becomes a job for a professional.

Difficulty: intermediate
Time: 1 hr
Read: 4 min
Safety: warning

Short answer

Three cuts. Undercut a quarter of the way through about 300mm out from the trunk, cut through from above slightly further out so the limb falls without tearing, then remove the stub with a clean cut just outside the branch collar.

A branch removed in one cut tears a strip of bark down the trunk as it falls, because the weight rips the last fibres away. That wound is often larger than the branch and takes years to close, if it ever does.

Safety

Do not work above head height from a ladder with a saw, and never use a chainsaw up a ladder or in a tree — that is professional work requiring training, certification and equipment. Wear eye protection, gloves and a hard hat if anything is above you. Check the tree is not covered by a Tree Preservation Order and that you are not in a Conservation Area, where notice must be given before work; both carry substantial fines. Check for nesting birds and for bats, which are legally protected. If the branch is over a road, a building or a power line, employ an arborist.

What you'll need

Pruning saw or bow saw
Loppers
Eye protection and gloves
Rope (optional)

Removing a heavy branch in three cuts

Step by step

Decide whether it is your job at all.Anything requiring a chainsaw, work above head height, or a branch over a building, road or wire belongs to a qualified arborist. Insurance and injury both make this an easy decision.
Check the legal position.Tree Preservation Orders and Conservation Area rules apply to garden trees and are enforced. A quick check with the local authority before cutting is far cheaper than the fine.
Check for nests and bats.Both are protected. Look and listen carefully before starting, and postpone if there is any doubt during the March to August nesting season.
Find the branch collar.The slightly swollen ring of bark where the branch meets the trunk. It contains the tissue that seals the wound and it must not be removed.
Plan the fall.Work out where the limb will go and clear that space. Long limbs are taken off in sections from the outside in rather than in one piece.
Make cut one — the undercut.About 300mm out from the trunk, on the underside, sawing up about a quarter of the way through. This is the cut that stops the bark tearing.
Make cut two — from above.A little further out from the trunk than cut one, sawing down until the limb falls. It will break cleanly at the undercut rather than stripping bark from the trunk.
Make cut three — the final cut.Remove the remaining stub with a cut just outside the branch collar, angled to follow the collar rather than flush with the trunk.
Leave the wound alone.Do not paint or seal it. Wound paints trap moisture and pathogens; the tree seals itself from the collar outward if the collar is intact.
Prune at the right time of year.Most deciduous trees in winter dormancy. Prunus — cherries and plums — in summer to avoid silver leaf. Never prune birch, maple or walnut in late winter, when they bleed sap heavily.

Tips

The undercut is the whole trick. Two minutes of sawing saves a torn wound that takes a decade to close.
Cut just outside the collar, never flush with the trunk.
No wound paint. It does more harm than good.

Common mistakes

Cutting flush with the trunk for a tidy finish — It removes the branch collar, which is the tissue that seals the wound. A flush cut leaves a wound the tree cannot close and is a direct route for decay into the trunk.
Making one cut from the top on a heavy limb — The weight tears the last fibres and strips a long tongue of bark down the trunk. The undercut is what prevents this.

If it doesn't work

Bark torn down the trunk

Cause: No undercut on a heavy limb — Fix: Trim the torn edges back to sound bark with a sharp knife, leave it unsealed, and keep the tree well watered.

Saw jams halfway through

Cause: Branch weight closing the cut — Fix: Stop. Wedge the cut open, or reduce the branch weight by taking the end off first.

Water and decay in the old cut

Cause: Cut flush, collar removed — Fix: Nothing can be done retrospectively. Get the next cuts right and monitor the tree.

Sap bleeding heavily from the cut

Cause: Pruned in late winter on a bleeder species — Fix: Not usually fatal but avoid. Prune birch, maple and walnut in late summer instead.

Questions people ask

Where exactly do I make the final cut?

Just outside the branch collar — the swollen ring where the branch joins the trunk. Follow the angle of the collar rather than cutting parallel to the trunk.

Should I paint the wound afterwards?

No. Wound sealants trap moisture against the cut and can encourage decay. A correct cut outside the collar seals itself.

When is this a job for a tree surgeon?

Any time a chainsaw is needed, any work above head height, anything over a building, road, wire or boundary, and any tree you are not certain is legally unprotected.