These are the types of questions that I am asked so many times:
• Is my tree too large?
• Are my branches going to break?
• Is my neighbour’s tree a hazard or is it dangerous?
• Is my tree leaning over too much?
• Is my tree dangerous?
• Are my tree roots too large?
• Is my tree dead?
• Does my tree have decay or an infection?
There are lots of things to consider when answering any of the above questions. If you are worried about how your tree is looking or you feel like there may be some kind of infection present the best thing to do is call us for advice. Below is some useful information for you to be aware of.
Are my dead branches dangerous?
Dead branches on trees are normal but sometimes they can be a sign of something a little more serious. What we need to assess is the range of deadwood which will give us more of an idea of what we are dealing with and if it is just nature taking its course or if it is something to be concerned about. Yes, it would be wise to remove large dead branches for safety, but remember dead branches are common and could be caused by adverse weather conditions, animals causing damage to the bark or the sunlight/shade in your garden. None of these things should affect the whole tree and can be easily remedied.
If the deadwood is over the tips of branches, this can be a sign of a root problem. What can cause this is compaction of the soil or building works that may have cut through roots. Compaction of the soil basically means there is no room for essential nutrients to move in the soil i.e. water and oxygen which is essential for the roots to do their job. Soil compaction can potentially kill trees but there are works that can be done easily if caught early. Work like air spading to de-compact the soil. This may be as a result of recent building works severing roots and or compaction of the soil. Please seek professional advice if you are concerned with deadwood in the tree.
Fungal brackets or Mushrooms near the base of the tree
If you do discover Mushrooms or Fungal Brackets, this does not always mean that your tree is dangerous and should be removed. There are many mushrooms and fungal brackets that do not cause damage in trees but there are also many that do cause damage and can cause your tree to become unsafe or structurally unstable. If you do find any fungal pathogens near or on your tree, please seek advice from suitably trained professionals. You should be able to obtain a free site visit.
My tree has Decay on the base of the tree
Decay is a concern and normally you do not have to be an expert to spot decayed wood but there are other instances where decay is not as obvious to spot and sometimes everything looks to be ok. I would recommend having your trees inspected regularly to avoid any undetected decay by a suitably qualified tree surgeon.
This article is to help you understand some common tree related problems and be used as a reference guide to help spot common tree related problems. If you are unsure of anything then please do give us a call.
We offer our customers free no obligation quotations for work that also includes looking at trees that our customers are concerned about. Contact us today on 01555 807495