You don’t need to be a professional to tell whether you’ve got a dead, sick or healthy tree. Dead trees need tree service to remove them, but a sick tree can be nursed back to health on your own. If you are in need of the guidelines for determining what you’ve got, look no further.
Your Tree’s Leaves and Branches
Sick trees will shed their trees earlier than is appropriate, or at a much faster rate than usual. Other times your leaves may not fall, but can look sick. Sick leaves look unusual, curled up or discolored. It’s also not uncommon for sick trees to shed leaves and have branched fall completely off. If there is no other explanation for branches falling, such as strong winds or a recent storm, you may have a sick tree. Check your tree’s other vitals to further indicate whether your tree is well or not.
Your Tree’s Trunk
One of the more noticeable signs of a sick tree is a dented, has holes or looks like it’s deteriorating or rotting in anyway. A healthy tree’s bark will be soft and bend a little and a sick or dying tree will have brittle bark that breaks easily or falls off. This, balding, is a sign of a dying tree and should be addressed immediately.
Your Tree’s Roots
Your tree’s roots are extremely important and often left exposed and vulnerable. If a child’s toy or a lawn mower damages the roots in any way, the whole tree maybe in danger. The same is true if there is flooding around the tree’s roots.
New Growth or Insect Infestation
Harmful insect species are a potential threat to trees and many have usual suspects they fight off each year. A vulnerable tree may not have the strength if one or more other symptoms are present. If new mushroom types or caterpillar like bugs are present in conjunction to other symptoms, you might want a second opinion from a professional.
What To Do
A sick tree can be diagnosed and treated by a professional arborist. An arborist is different than a tree serviceman. An arborist is a tree doctor. If you have every reason to believe the tree is dead or beyond help, it’s best to call a tree service to safely remove it from the property without damaging the surrounding earth, plant life and people.
