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Autumn Storm Season: A 10-Minute Check for the Trees in Your Garden

3 min read Treemasters

A large sycamore in a stone-walled back garden on a windy autumn day, with a broken branch hanging in its crown and leaves blowing across the lawn

October is when the North East starts to get its first proper autumn gales. Leaves are still on many trees, the ground is getting wetter, and a tree that has carried a weak branch all summer can suddenly drop it in one gusty night. A quick look round your garden now, while the weather is still kind, is the easiest way to avoid an emergency call-out later.

Here is the simple check we would do on any garden tree before winter, and what to do about anything you find.

Why autumn is the time to look

A tree in full leaf acts like a sail. Early autumn storms often arrive before the leaves have dropped, so the crown catches far more wind than it will in mid-winter. At the same time, a wet autumn softens the ground around the roots, which gives the tree less grip.

That combination is why so many of the trees that come down in the first storms of the season are ones that looked perfectly fine in August. Most of the warning signs are visible from the ground if you know what to look for.

A ten-minute check from the ground

You do not need to climb anything or get close to a tree that worries you. Walk around it, take your time, and look for these things:

  • Dead branches. Branches with no leaves when the rest of the tree is still green, bark peeling off, or wood that looks grey and dry. Dead wood is brittle and is usually the first thing to fall.
  • Hanging or broken limbs. Anything snapped and caught in the crown from an earlier storm. These can drop without warning.
  • Cracks and splits. Splits running down the trunk, or where two big stems meet in a tight V shape.
  • Fungus. Mushrooms or bracket fungi growing at the base, on the roots or on the trunk can be a sign of decay inside.
  • A new lean. A tree that has always leaned is often fine. A tree that has started to lean, especially with soil cracked or lifted on the opposite side, needs looking at quickly.
  • Branches near the house. Limbs over the roof, rubbing on gutters, touching phone lines or hanging over a neighbour's garden or a path.

If you spot any of these, take a photo. It helps us give you a sensible answer over the phone before we come out.

What can be done before winter

Most problems found in an autumn check are fixed with careful pruning rather than taking a tree down. Depending on what we find, that might mean:

  • Deadwooding to take out dead, dying and broken branches before they fall.
  • Crown thinning to let wind pass through the crown instead of pushing against it.
  • Crown reduction to bring the height and spread down evenly on a tree that has outgrown its space.
  • Removal where a tree is badly decayed, split or unstable and pruning will not make it safe.

Autumn is also a good time for this kind of work because the main bird nesting season, which runs roughly from February to August, is over. We still check for wildlife before any job starts.

Check before you cut

If your tree has a Tree Preservation Order or stands in a conservation area, you normally need consent from the council before any work is done, including pruning. If you are not sure, ask us when we come to quote and we will tell you what to check.

If a tree or branch is anywhere near overhead power lines, do not touch it and do not let anyone else try. Call the electricity network on 105 first.

If a storm does bring something down

  1. Keep everyone, including children and pets, well away from the tree.
  2. Stay clear of any tree touching power lines and call 105.
  3. Do not try to cut a tree that is under tension or resting on something. Stored tension in the timber can release suddenly.
  4. Take photos for your insurer if you can do it safely.
  5. Call us on 07470 437707. We cover Seaham, Sunderland, Durham, Peterlee, Hartlepool and the wider North East, and emergency call-outs are available.

Get it looked at now, not in the middle of a storm

An autumn check costs nothing. We will come out, look at your trees with you, tell you honestly whether anything needs doing, and give you a clear quote with no obligation. If nothing needs doing, we will say so.

Call Treemasters on 07470 437707 or send us the details online for a free quote.

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