3 Ways to Tell If You Have a Sick Tree

As with any other living thing, the quicker you know that a tree is sick, the quicker you can act to treat it and the greater possibility you have of saving its life. There are a number of outward signs that you can look out for. Here we offer a quick guide to some of the most common symptoms of a sick tree…

* Inspect the leaves

If it isn’t autumn and you have a tree that’s losing a lot of leaves, especially if they’re falling quite quickly, then there’s a good chance something is wrong. Watch out for discolouration too. One of the symptoms of Dutch Elm Disease is that leaves become yellow and start to wilt, usually in early summer. If untreated, the leaves will turn brown and eventually fall. Other trees too, suffer similar symptoms and leaves offer one of the best early clues that something may be wrong.

* Inspect the branches

Falling branches are another sure-fire sign of an unhealthy tree. Obviously, any tree is going to lose a few branches in high winds or stormy weather, but if your tree is losing branches at other times, particularly if they have already lost their leaves, there could be something wrong.

You should also keep an eye open for unusual growths. Some diseases might result in resinous cankers, discolouration or the appearance of a kind of white webbing in your branches. This latter could indicate the presence of the processionary moth, which can also impact on human health.

* Inspect the trunk and the bark

As with the rest of the tree, you should be on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary. This includes the appearance of any holes or dents. Many people don’t worry about holes in their trees as they quite like the idea of providing homes for living creatures, but generally speaking, a hole is a bad sign and could mean your tree is not healthy. Other things to look out for are any kind of unusual markings on the bark of your tree, including dark lesions, black weeping, brittle bark or bald spots.

If you notice any of the above signs or anything else out of the ordinary, you would be well advised to seek the advice of a professional tree surgeon. At Bailey Tree Services, we have many years’ experience treating sick trees or safely removing any that are beyond saving. We provide tree services in Sutton Coldfield and tree services in Tamworth and we are renowned throughout the area for our knowledge and professionalism

If you’ve spotted any of the above symptoms in your garden or would like some advice on the health of your trees in general, give us a call today on 01543 300 401 or 07969 275 510.