If keeping your trees alive and well is a priority, you may want to know how to tell if a tree is dying so that you can take action. Prompt interventions may also save you from expensive tree-related repairs and insurance annoyances if you can avoid falling trees or branches during storms.
Keep reading to learn how to tell if a tree is dying. If you’re in town, you can also contact our team of professionals at Frank’s Arborcare LLC for tree services in Trumbull, CT.
Growth Problems
Identifying tree defects is the first part of spotting dying trees. For example, growth defects may be one of the first signs you see indicating your tree is declining, including:
- A leaning tree: Many things cause a tree to lean, but if the reason is weakening wood, the tree may be dying.
- Root damage: Excessive root damage will kill a tree.
- Heaving soil: When soil starts moving upward, it might be roots running out of room, excessive rain, or heavy winds – all of which can kill a tree.
- No leaves: Is your tree not growing leaves in spring and summer? The tree might be dying or already dead.
Problems With Wood
If you’re not sure how to tell if a tree is dying, start with the wood.
- Dead or fallen branches: Fallen or dead branches could show that the entire tree is dying.
- Brittle branches: Brittle branches could mean a lack of water and present a safety threat since they could fall at any minute.
- Peeling bark: Do you see bark peeling? This could be due to the tree’s lack of water or nutrients and certain diseases.
- No green under the bark: Healthy bark should show a green color underneath it. If you scratch it and it’s brown, the tree is likely unhealthy.
Tree Pests and Diseases
If you supply your tree with plenty of water and nutrients and still see issues, pests or disease may be killing your tree. Common problems are:
- Fungal growth: Excessive moisture will allow fungi to thrive, often in the form of mushrooms on the trunk or at the base of the tree.
- Rotting wood: Rotting wood is a sign of overwatering and poor drainage, but it may also indicate tree disease.
- Discolored leaves: Leaf discoloration is a common symptom of problems. If leaves turn yellow, brown, or black, a pest or disease threatening the tree’s health is likely.
- Pest presence: A great many pests harm trees. Symptoms to watch for include leaking sap, sawdust, discolored leaves, cankers, and open wounds.
Call Frank’s Arborcare LLC for Help
Even if you don’t know how to tell if a tree is dying, the symptoms above signal it’s time to call in an expert like Frank’s Arborcare LLC. Our team can inspect your tree, suggest treatments to save them, or, when the time comes, remove them safely for you.
Need help to care for old or aging trees or remove sickly ones? Give Frank’s Arborcare LLC a call at (203) 423-9523 today!
