Are trees cramping your style? Sometimes it’s obvious that you need to remove a tree from your property when the tree is damaged in a storm or its roots are posing a threat to the foundation of your home or driveway. Other problems like cracks in the trunk or insect infestations may require that a tree be removed.
Whether you have thought about contacting a tree removal service because the large oak near your driveway is leaning a little too close to your garage or you have too many trees in one area of your landscape, the following tips will help you decide if it’s time to uproot your tree problem.
What does a damaged or dying tree look like?
- The bark is falling off in sections around the trunk
- Large branches, with or without growth, have fallen when there hasn’t been a storm
- Areas of the crown (leafy section) produce leaves later than other parts of the tree
- Mushrooms or other fungi are growing at the base of the tree
- Piles of saw dust appear on the ground around the tree
When nutrients that usually travel through the roots, up the trunk and out to the branches can no longer make their way throughout the tree’s system, sections will begin to experience decay. If the bark or branches are falling off of your tree or areas such as the crown are not producing leaves that could mean that your tree is not getting the proper nutrients it needs to survive.
Mushrooms and other fungi will typically grow on decaying wood. If mushrooms are present at the base of your trees, look for other signs of declining health to assess the threat the tree poses to your yard and home. Piles of saw dust surrounding a tree signify an infestation of insects which can ruin a tree and any of its neighboring trees.
Sometimes it is possible for an arborist to save a tree or at least delay the process by taking preventive and remedial actions such as correctly pruning dead, dying, and weakly attached branches or installing structural support systems. A true certified arborist will consider tree removal as a last option. Consulting with a certified tree care professional, such as Trees Unlimited, will allow you all the benefits of an expert opinion at little to no cost.
