Knowing your trees and why it’s important
Did you know that trees are similar to humans? When they are sick or have an injury, they try to heal themselves to get better. When they are unable to, they need to be cared for by experts. Knowing your trees will help identify if they are sick, diseased, or dying. Sometimes it’s as simple as just watering them and other times it’s a difficult decision on whether or not to remove them.
There are many reasons why trees can fall ill. Being able to know key factors will help establish whether or not you need a tree doctor aka Certified Arborist to evaluate. Trees can fall ill due to biotic (living) factors such as:
- Fungi, conks, or mushrooms
- Bacteria/sap oozing
- Pests
- Viruses
- Parasitic plants
- Animals; etc
Other times it can become sick due to abiotic (non-living) factors such as:
- Temperature changes
- Mineral deficiencies
- Soil/root compaction
- Root damage
- Lack of water
- Improper pruning; etc
Knowing the history of the tree provides the best clues for any diagnosis. Unfortunately, it can take a while to show you any symptoms inducing stress. That is why it is important to know your trees. Here are some ways you can identify if you need a certified arborist:
- Spotting any patterns of abnormalities
- Change in irrigation/landscaping- whether the change is beneficial or not
- Changes in color, size, & thickness of foliage
- Checking the trunk and branches for any discoloration, drying, and oozing
- Checking the roots- is there an odor? Too wet or not wet enough? Are any of the roots girdling?
If you see any of this occurring, it is important to get a certified arborist out ASAP to identify and help save your trees. Together as a community, we can save our trees and give them the longevity they deserve. Call Tree Service Express, INC to get our Certified Arborist to evaluate your trees and address any concerns.