How Do I Know If My Trees Are Diseased?

How do you know if a tree is diseased? This is a vital question for homeowners and commercial property owners to consider, as diseased trees might invite termites and other bothersome headaches. Weakened, compromised trees are also at risk of losing limbs or outright falling, which can mean costly property destruction and harm to anyone in the vicinity!

To know if a tree is infected, infested, or just stressed, check these 6 common signs of poor tree well being:

• Chewed or otherwise distorted foliage
• Stunted appearance or leaf growth
• White spots
• Cottony white colored masses
• Spaces along the bark
• Stunted tree maturation including slanting

Knowing if a tree is unhealthy and what all these indicators suggest is the first step towards addressing these matters and keeping your tree robust and solid. It’s also vital to know when a tree is beyond saving so you can book tree removal services before it falls or otherwise causes harm to your real estate.

An expert arborist or tree services service provider can inspect a tree and note if it’s unhealthy and can be restored. Note some added details about common signs that a tree is unhealthy and how to address causes of disease and injury, and when it’s time to call in an expert!

How Do You Know If a Tree Is Diseased?

A quick evaluation of your tree’s limb, branches, and leaves can regularly tell you if it’s diseased or otherwise needs some TLC. Consider a bit more information about commonplace signs of tree ailments and then call an arborist or tree services contractor as needed.

Chewed or otherwise distorted foliage

Small holes and jagged or otherwise uneven leaf edges often indicate pests and resultant problems. If you notice holes along a leaf front of what appears to be jagged leaf edges, contact an arborist to check for infestation and needed treatment plans.

Stunted foliage or leaf progression

Insects and diseases sap a tree of water and nutrients, which results in stunted foliage or leaf spread. You might notice bare limbs, dried-up leaves, or shrunken leaves on an unhealthy tree. If so, don’t assume you should simply cut those branches but call an arborist as soon as possible, to address that problem or other condition.

Light colored spots on leaves and the tree itself

Scale insects are small white-colored insects that drain a tree of its nutrients. These insects collect in masses that look like white spots on leaves and the tree itself. Washing off these insects helps protect the tree from further injury but that tree might also need some added maintenance to return to good health, including chemical treatment and better land irrigation.

Cottony white masses

Wooly aphids are sometimes mistaken for cotton growth or white mold on a tree. Just like scale insects, you can rinse off those aphids to protect a tree but it’s also imperative that a tree care professional check the tree’s situation. He or she can note resultant harm and if the tree needs trimming or other care, and whether the tree is totally clear of an infestation.

Holes along the bark

Gaps along tree bark often suggest wood-boring insect pests including termites, or a lack of nutrients for the tree so that the bark cracks and breaks away. Those holes frequently present a nesting spot for bothersome insects who lay eggs or alternatively burrow into those spaces, making trouble even worse as time go on. If you discover cavities in tree bark, call a tree service contractor right now!

Stunted tree growth including bending

Nonnative trees might strain to thrive in an unfriendly climate; a palm tree might struggle to grow in a chilly climate, for example. However, tree illness, root rot, and other conditions will stunt tree growth so that it’s very often smaller than expected.

Weak or diseased trees may possibly also start to pitch, as a damaged or weak tree is not robust enough to stand upright. Leaning trees are very dangerous as they might break and then fall, so phone an arborist or tree care service for a full tree inspection, treatment solution, and required bracing.

Can a Compromised Tree Be Saved?

As with your own health and wellness, an unhealthy tree can often be saved depending upon its situation and how promptly you start managing it! Removing bug invasions and correcting root rot, as well as added nutrients and bracing as necessitated, can let a tree to grow healthy and sturdy once more.

In many cases, however, disease or infestation may have harmed a tree so badly that it’s beyond salvaging. Severe bark deterioration and loss or large-scale infestation may have an effect on a tree’s overall condition so that it can not reestablish that bark or develop fresh leaves.

Your property’s soil conditions likewise affect how well a tree can recover; nutrient-rich soil feeds trees while stable ground allows it to stand tall and stay in a healthy condition. If your property’s soil is too moist or sandy or requiring fertilizing for any reason, a tree might have a hard time to grow even with treatment.

How Can You See If a Tree Has Root Rot?

Healthy and balanced roots are firm and usually whitish in color. Soft brownish roots, and specifically those that feel spongy to the touch, are usually rotted. Root rot also supports the growth of fungi along the roots, so you might spot spores and different growth.

Roots suck in moisture and nourishment from the soil; when roots rot, the tree at that point likewise fails to develop and prosper. Leaves usually wilt and drop off, and new leaves might not appear in the course of the tree’s sprouting time of year. In extreme cases, the tree might die within days or weeks of forming severe root rot!

Correcting root rot

Root rot is primarily the result of exceedingly wet soil. Properties with substandard water drainage will normally amass water around tree roots so that they then rot away.

It’s key that you assess your property’s grade or slope, or supply needed drainage around the tree, before pursuing to address root rot. Soil should also be loose enough to allow good airflow and oxygenation, and for roots to spread out and mature throughout that soil.

Cutting away weakened roots and eliminating any fungi or other growths on the roots is also necessary, so that strong roots can grow. To assure you don’t harm the tree or remove too much root growth, call an arborist or tree care professional if you suspect a tree on your property suffers with root rot.

 

What Does an Unhealthy Tree Look Like?

Illness and infestation are certainly not the only concerns for a tree on your property! A tree might be disease-free and not suffering an infestation, but still fighting to thrive. Poor soil conditions, air pollution, consistent injury to its trunk, and poor-quality trimming all influence a tree’s general condition and can easily lead to stunted tree growth. Signs of an unhealthy tree include:

• Bare spots around the trunk or branches
• Branches with no leaves or needles
• Fungus infestation along the trunk base
• Wilting
• Seeping sap

Healthy and balanced trees should display signs of doing well; this includes growth along the trunk each year, complete foliage or healthy needles, an upright stance, and sturdy bark that defends against peeling. If you don’t recognize these indicators or see any of the signs of an unhealthy tree noted above, phone a tree care service or arborist close to you!

No Leaves, Does This Equal Death for the Tree?

Healthy, vivid leaves are a sign of a healthy, vibrant tree! No leaves, damaged leaves, or otherwise unusual leaves are in many cases an indication of an unhealthy, damaged, or impaired tree. Trees also have an expected life expectancy; lack of healthy leaves can mean that tree is basically perishing of the equivalent of old age.

If your tree’s leaves are thin or abnormal in any way, call a tree service company or arborist. Your real estate might just need added hydration and watering for the tree to survive. Correcting diseases or infestations can likewise enable a tree to grow healthy again.

An arborist or tree care company can likewise note the overall condition of a tree and if it’s dead or dying, or in jeopardy of falling limbs and toppling. In those cases, it’s typically best to schedule tree removal services.

Saving Your Stressed Tree

A stressed tree is almost always salvageable, with a little bit of TLC! In the event that the tree is native or otherwise able to grow in your local area, take note of a few simple tips for encouraging healthy tree growth and managing a stressed tree.

Mature trees in most cases require about one inch of water weekly, either from rainfall or irrigation, in order to grow. During a dry season or if your property’s soil is overly dry, think about an irrigation system to supply the tree with ample hydration. Mulch may also help keep the soil replenished with water.
Professional pruning is also necessary for saving a stressed tree. Trees expend energy maintaining all their branches, including rotting or otherwise injured limbs.
Pruning those limbs away, as well as cutting overgrowth so a tree obtains needed sunlight and air circulation, assures a tree grows healthy and strong.
While trimming is vital for tree well being, it’s just as important that this work is undertaken by an expert! Wrong trimming approaches, including trimming limbs at the wrong angle or trimming excessive limbs, wounds trees and may do more damage than good. To ensure healthy tree growth, call a tree service contractor for needed pruning and trimming.

Can a Dead Tree Be Saved?

If part of a tree is rotting or outright dead, you may be able to trim away that part of the tree and then encourage healthy and balanced development. Reversing reasons for degeneration, for instance, pest treatment to remove an infestation, may also assist a stressed or drying tree to become healthy once again.

Nonetheless, if a tree is downright dead, there is generally no way to bring it back to life and good health. In that case, it’s optimal to get the tree extracted before it starts to split and drop branches or topple outright.

North Stamford Tree Services is proud to deliver this info to our readers and hope that you find it valuable! If you’re still thinking, how do you know if a tree is diseased, or if you need tree services in Stamford of the Fairfield County area, give us a call. We offer full-service tree care and removal, and stand behind all our work with a full guarantee you can trust!