How Healthy are Your Trees?

Amber RandhawaHomeowner and Homebuyer Tips

While some of us prefer the low maintenance lifestyle afforded by a small yard or patio rather than significant grass and shrubbery to maintain, others love a large patch of land filled with trees. If you are more the latter and are lucky enough to have an expansive yard with plentiful tree shade, you need to be be aware of how healthy your trees are….or aren’t. Especially after large amounts of rain or during a particularly windy storm, sick and unstable trees can begin to drop limbs, or worse, can fall completely. So what should you be on the lookout for when it comes to your trees?


Dropping Branches

If any of your trees are dropping branches for no apparent reason – such as no recent storm or wind to speak of – the tree itself may be in poor health. Likewise, if you look up and see one or more branches that are brown or leafless while the rest of the tree is showing full foliage, those branches may be likely to fall soon. Depending on the size of the limb, property damage or injury can occur when they fall.

Trunk Cavities

Small cracks that form seasonally on a tree’s trunk are normal and not a source of major concern. However, large cavities that develop in a trunk over time can indicate unstable soil and rot, and could lead to trunk weakness. Another cause of deep trunk cavities could be fungus or bacteria, things that can eat away at a tree and hollow it out from the inside.

Shifting and Leaning Trees

Growing at an angle is not automatically a reason for you to be concerned about a tree. What is cause for alarm is when a formerly straight tree suddenly begins to lean, especially if you see the angele increasing over time. This sort of behavior often means a problem with the tree’s root system. Look around the tree for any cracks in the surrounding soil, or the presence of mushrooms at the trunk’s base which indicates fungus is present.

What Should You Do?

The issues outlined above do not automatically mean an expensive tree removal is in your future. However, the only way to know for sure is to have a certified arborist come to your home to perform a tree inspection. Remember, unless he or she specifies otherwise, your landscaper is not the same thing as a tree expert. A landscaper or lawncare specialist may be able to recommend an arborist though. Once inspected, removal may be recommended, or the arborist may be able to craft a treatment plan that will allow you to save a beloved tree from additional disease or damage.