People who plant trees in their homes often think that they can plant, then water the tree until it is grown, and then their job is finished. But that’s not the case.
Whenever you don’t give your tree attention by checking on them regularly, they can get sick and die off before you can even save them. You shouldn’t forget that your trees require some care too, as they provide you with both beautiful aesthetics and valuable shade to your landscapes.
Apart from giving your tree care and maintenance, another good thing you can do is monitor it season after season. Once you have a clear understanding of your trees’ normal behavior, you’ll be able to notice when your trees exhibit signs of stress and poor health.
Does your tree show signs of sickness or dying? In case you have trees surrounding your home, then you should have an understanding of your trees’ health. When you understand how to spot a sick or dead tree, then you can be able to prevent a tree catastrophe on your property. Below are 5 Warning Signs that Your Tree May Be Diseased or Dying.
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1. Abnormal Leaf Behavior
Leaves dropping Early
In case you don’t know, there are reasons your tree is prematurely losing leaves. The stress of heat or a lack of water could be the problem. But it could also be a sign that your tree has a disease or pests.
Having dead leaves clinging through winter.
It is normal for leaves to die and fall early in the wintertime. However, there are some reasons dead leaves are clinging well into the winter. This could be due to environmental stress caused by changes in temperature which is causing mixed signals in the leaves. This happens when there’s a sudden drop in temperature early on in the season.
Discoloration of Leaves
It’s normal for leaves to remain constant in their color changes over the years. But in case you don’t understand what colors your leaves should be on a particular season, you can do an internet search on your tree type. Most times, discolored leaves can be a sign of stress or disease.
2. Root Damage
In case your tree is experiencing root trauma, it can die. As you know, sometimes having construction or landscaping projects could injure tree roots. Also, buildings, driveways, and sidewalks can get in the way of roots and branches, which leads to their removal.
Whenever you have construction or landscaping close to your property and observe a tree showing signs of root damage, consult an arborist immediately.
3. Bark Abnormalities
Missing bark
Whenever a tree is about to die, its bark will become very loose and start falling off the tree. This issue can be noticed by checking for areas of smooth wood where the bark has fallen off. Any healthy tree should have a new bark growing to replace the fallen bark.
Vertical cracks on the trunk
Examine your tree for gaping splits which might extend deep into the wood. In case you observe any vertical cracks, splits, or deep holes on the tree, then this is a sign that your tree is dying. Any healthy tree should be able to heal small cracks on its own, remember that large wounds will weaken your tree.
What this means is that the tree branches could fall and potentially injure someone. It’s even dangerous when the split or crack affects more than half of your tree. Removing the tree is the only potion.
4. Termites Or Other Pests
Many pests can affect a tree. Pests such as beetles, ants, and termites are various types of pests that can take a healthy tree down. Once you notice them early, you will be able to stop succeeding.
However, in case you notice that the tree’s stability has become bad due to too much damage, then it needs to be taken down. Doing this will prevent it from falling and crushing on something else in your home.
5. Plenty Dead Wood And Branches
Note that having few dead branches or dead wood does not mean your tree is dying. But when you have an increasing number of dead wood, it can indicate that your tree is sick or dying. Normally, trees decay from the inside out. But when you start having rotting wood, it can indicate a huge red flag.
Examine your tree for any wood decay, and this is softwood that crumbles. Also, check your tree for dead branches. Any dead branch will appear dry and can break easily. Always remove dead branches for your family’s safety.
So What Do You Do When You See Signs of A Dead or Dying Tree?
Whenever you suspect your tree is dead in your home, it shouldn’t be left until it splits in half and falls over. Once this happens, this could cause damage to your property or a neighbor’s.
What you should do is consult a tree removal company immediately. Many tree service companies will be able to tell you the signs of a dying tree. Some will even tell you to salvage the tree or bring it down.
Make Sure To Hire An Expert To Handle Your Dead Or Dying Tree
Whenever you notice any signs of a dying or disease tree, you shouldn’t panic. All you need is to take action. Just contact a good arborist or a company that takes care of trees, who will be able to provide you with the best advice needed to make a good decision.
There are reliable tree companies that can help you evaluate the trees in your home. The tree company may either treat the trees or remove them, but this depends on how bad they are.
In case you observe any of these signs, just contact a certified professional arborist immediately. A diseased tree must be quickly treated or it will die. A sick tree left unattended for too long has the possibility of damaging your home or even injuring your kids should they fall on your house.
So in case you’re worried that your trees may be in danger of disease, then you need to reach out to a professional who will help you determine if your tree can be saved.
