IS MY TREE SICK?
DETERMINE IF YOU NEED TREE CARE
A quick guide
Trees and shrubs do best when they are under the regular care of an arborist. Identifying minor issues early will prevent larger and costlier problems later.
But when trees do show distress—such as a change in leaf color, reduced growth rate, early leaf loss, or bumps or lesions on the foliage—it’s imperative to call an arborist immediately. The sooner we can diagnose the problem, the better chance we have of fixing the situation. We will assess the symptoms and propose solutions to treat both the immediate issue and the underlying causes to promote long-term health.
Dead Tree Limbs
Dying limbs are a giveaway that a tree needs help.
Branches that do not leaf out in summer (in deciduous trees) or that drop needles (in evergreens) are the most obvious sign of dead limbs. Other symptoms include dead leaves on branches year-round, smooth bark, and large fungus on the branches.
Dead limbs are a safety hazard. They also invite disease and insect infestations to take hold. Our team can safely remove the limbs, assess if the tree can be saved, and offer recommendations to prevent further decline.
Fungus & Mold
Fungus and mold can be more than aesthetic blights.
They can cause internal rot, tree decline, and death. They may also indicate other problems, such as insect damage. Crown dieback; bumps, lesions, irregular blotches, or discolored spots on foliage; curled or puckered leaves; early leaf drop; smooth bark; twig dieback; sooty growth; and needle cast (needles turning colors and falling off evergreens) could all be symptoms of fungus or mold.
The best way to care for fungus and mold is preventively. Our arborists know what symptoms to look for and how to best treat them, so they don’t reoccur.
Insects
The majority of insects are beneficial to your landscape. But lasting damage and even death can result when insect populations get out of balance or when an invasive species shows up. Obvious signs include chewed or skeletonized leaves, sawdust at the base of the tree, exit holes in the trunk or branches, or cocoons. Other outbreaks, like spider mites, are harder to spot. In these cases, the damage may not appear until the following season—and may be irreversible.
We start with environmentally safe methods that target only the pests so we can protect beneficial populations (and prevent further outbreaks down the road). If pesticides are required, we always follow the label and always seek the products and methods that will have the lowest impact to your environment.
Disease
Tree and shrub diseases can be devastating to your landscape.
Diseases are often spread by pathogens that are in the soil, carried on the wind, or spread by insects. Healthy trees and shrubs can often withstand infection—but poor environmental conditions can make them susceptible to disease. Scorched leaves, leaf spots, galls, soft rot, growth abnormalities, rusts, powdery mildews, and wilting can all be symptoms of disease.
There is no blanket solution to treat disease, but our arborists have the experience and know-how to get to the root of the issue. After diagnosing the disease, our arborists will offer recommendations for treatment, containment, and prevention.