Plenty of homeowners are willing to try just about any do-it-yourself job. However, more often than not, homeowners stray away from doing any sort of professional tree work on their property, and for good reason. Luckily, if you’re wondering if the trees on your property are healthy or not, you can learn a lot through the appearance of the tree. Here are the signs you should look for to see if your trees are healthy or not.
What Do Healthy Trees Look Like?
Everyone wants to have healthy trees. Not only can trees provide you with great shade, and beauty, they also do wonders for keeping your yard dry and the grass healthy. If you’re curious what a healthy tree looks like, look for the following characteristics.
- First and foremost, is your tree growing yearly? It’s hard to identify this on a property you plan on purchasing, but if you’ve owned the property for a few years, have you noticed the branches becoming fuller, or longer? If so, that’s a good thing!
- In addition to existing branches growing, are there many dead branches on the tree? If so, that could highlight a problem. Branches will need pruning, and getting rid of the dead branches allows for new branches to grow, but too many dead branches may be a sign that insects or diseases are taking over the tree.
- If the bark is crumbling or falling off of the trunk with ease, that’s a sign that the tree is not healthy. This is not something you need to check weekly, but the next time you’re cutting your grass, see if you notice any bark separating from the tree trunk.
- Despite how much of a hassle it could be to clean up the leaves in the fall, a healthy tree will produce a lot of leaves! The leaves will also be the right color for the season. If it is the middle of the summer and your leaves should be green but are yellow, that would be a telltale sign that something is wrong.
- Is your tree growing straight? If more branches are growing on one side of the tree, the tree may begin leaning to the side with more branches. This could be easily fixed, but if left neglected, could pose serious risks as the tree would be at an increased risk of falling.
Keep Your Trees Healthy
Landscaping seems like a chore that never ends during the spring and summer months. You may be mowing your grass once a week, planting flowers throughout the month, or mulching your mulch beds. Luckily, keeping your trees healthy doesn’t require you to work on them every weekend.
However, trees do require work, and the best time to do tree work is when the tree is still standing, and not laying on your roof after a storm.
There are plenty of things you could do to keep your trees healthy. Here is what we suggest.
- First and foremost, make sure the tree is properly pruned. As mentioned, a weight imbalance presents an increased falling risk and could lead to more long-term damage of the tree. If the tree is leaning to one side, chances are you’ll need to hire a professional to trim the branches and balance the weight.
- Keep insects away from your trees. Termites, beetles, and even caterpillars can cause severe damage to the tree. Luckily, you can get your yard professionally sprayed for pest control, or you could pick up something from your local hardware store to do the job yourself.
- Last but not least, make sure your tree is hydrated. Droughts or extreme summer heat for prolonged periods of time can dry out the tree. If it is severe enough, you’re tree could die!
- Make sure you are planting the right tree for your yard and climate. Some trees are able to handle the 4 seasons, whereas others quickly die in the cold. Additionally, some species need more light and water than others.
Arbor Green Tree Service
If you live in New Haven or Fairfield County, please reach out to us for any tree-related questions. Arbor Green is a full-service tree company, specializing in tree removal, land clearing, and stump grinding. We’ve assisted hundreds of customers over the years and would be more than happy to assist you with your next tree job. Whether you’re looking to plant a new tree, remove a massive oak tree, or just do some pruning, Arbor Green is happy to help!