The
best way to notice when your tree has problems is to look at trees when
they don’t have problems. Get to know your trees and inspect them
every so often. (I will explain how to inspect a tree later in this
article). With our pets, if we notice they are not eating normally or
as active as they usually are, we recognize that there may be something
wrong. We either determine the problem and correct it, or we get professional
help.
With
trees, we should notice the coloring of the leaves, also their size
and shape. Is new growth normal? Is something on the leaves, twigs or
trunk? Any of these things could indicate that there may be a problem.
Like everything else, the sooner a problem is noticed and treated the
more likely the tree is to respond and recover. Arborists receive calls
all the time to help trees that are close to being dead because no one
noticed until it was too late. Recognizing early on when your tree has
a problem and getting professional help could mean the difference between
losing your tree and maintaining its usefulness and beauty for many
years to come.
So,
you notice that something looks different about your tree perhaps the
leaves are looking yellowish some have dropped off, they aren’t
the nice green color they should be. What do you do? If your child looked
peaked and lacked energy or a pet wasn’t eating and was lethargic
what would you do? You might ask yourself what have they been doing
the last twenty four hours, what have they eaten. You might backtrack
and see if you can discover anything they could have gotten into that
they should not have. This investigative process is very important in
determining the problem and correcting it. Even if you decide to get
professional help for your child or pet, most likely the doctor or veterinarian
is going to ask you all of the questions you have just investigated.
Trees
are not that much different - they just usually respond slower. You
need to think back and ask yourself what has happened to this tree in
the last month, the last six months or even a year? You need to inspect
the tree and see what you can discover. When you call a professional
arborist for help they will need to know this information in order to
diagnose the problem and determine a corrective treatment.
So,
you probably are getting the point that inspecting your trees is very
important, and this is how you do it. First stand back and look at the
tree as a whole, is there anything that stands out that does not look
right? Take note. Now look at what is surrounding the tree, other trees,
shrubs, flowers and grass. Do the other plants around the tree look
ok or are they having problems? Take note. Now walk up close to the
tree look at the soil, is it wet or dry do you see anything that does
not look right? Take note. Look at the tree trunk, do you notice anything
that looks out of place such as small holes, discoloring of the bark,
things tied around it? Look at groups of branches then individual branches,
look at areas of leaves then individual leaves. You may discover things
in your inspection that you can correct yourself and your observations
may be helpful to a professional arborist. One thing for sure is that
noticing your trees when they are normal will help you take note of
problems when your trees need help.
Certified
Arborists are experienced professionals that can help you with tree
problems, don’t hesitate to call one. Another place you can get
help diagnosing problems is the CSU Cooperative Extension in your county.
