If you’re lucky enough to have a backyard, you’re also lucky enough to reap all the benefits of trees. Besides providing you with constant shade during hot summer days, they’ll also create a scenic look, and more importantly, these plants can easily increase the overall value of your property. However, sometimes, they have to be removed.
So, how can you know if you have to remove a tree or several of them from your backyard? Are there some signs that can help you determine this? Fortunately for all homeowners that are wondering the same thing, our list below can shed some light on the entire topic. Here are the top 6 ways to tell if your tree needs to be removed:
1. If The Roots Started Decaying & Withering
One of the first and biggest signs that you must remove the trees from your backyard is if the roots started decaying and withering or if they were severely damaged by external factors. No matter which case it is, you must remove it as soon as possible, mostly because it’ll pose a major safety hazard. But, besides problems with the roots, there are other things that you should focus on, including if the ground around the roots seems raised.
If the ground seems raised or if the roots seem completely severed from the rest of the trunk, you’ll want to remove it. Keep in mind, the overall prosperity and health of the plant is also a sign that the roots might not be strong and healthy, which is something that can affect the condition of the plant, as well as the safety of you, your family members, as well as your house. Severed roots can lead to the entire tree falling, which is why you must take care of it immediately.
2. If There Are Leaning, Large, & Dead Branches
You might have noticed that the tree in question is slowly, but surely changing its structure, and if so, you should know that this is one of the most common signs that you should call a removal company that’ll help you. It’s also worth mentioning that you’ll need to call such companies if you noticed that the trunk started leaning to the side. Why should I entirely remove it, can’t I just cut all the branches?
Well, no, mostly because leaning, large, and dead branches often mean that there are other problems with it. Also, if you choose to ignore these branches, they might end up causing extremely expensive damage to your house and backyard or they could end up falling and hurting you, your family, or pets. Because of this, it’s always better to call an expert to assess the situation. To make things easier for you, you can click here to see some tree cutting service information and options.
3. If The Trunk is Infested + Hollow
Cavities and decay, as well as a hollow trunk, are some of the indicators that your tree isn’t as healthy as it was before. In fact, if the trunk is completely hollow, the plant might be dying, which can lead to other issues such as the branches falling from it. You should never ignore these signs, nor should you ignore cracks that might appear on it, since it’s one of those red flags that’ll tell you that the health of the plant started deteriorating.
4. If The Bark Seems Different
As you already know, the bark is the outer layer of trees and it’s often referred to as the skin of these plants. If you’ve noticed that it started peeling or chipping easily, or if the layer underneath seems dry and dark in color, you’ll want to call an expert that can tell you whether you’ll need to remove the tree or if you can do something to try and save it. However, you can determine this by yourself by completing a scratch test.
Now, keep in mind, this particular test needs to be done on several areas of the barks, mostly because performing it on one area might not tell you how healthy the trunk is. There is a wide range of tutorials, online guides, as well as how-to videos that you can watch to learn how to go through the scratch test, so, before calling an expert, you might want to read/watch these tutorials and try doing the test by yourself.
5. If There Are No Buds on The Branches
Spring is almost here, which is why you’ll want to carefully monitor whether or not there are buds on the branches of a particular tree – or all of them if you suspect that they also need to be removed. If you notice that there are some branches that didn’t develop buds and that look completely dry, without any greenery, the plant might be dying. Yes, this could mean that the branches need to be removed instead of the entire plant, nonetheless, pay attention and determine if you’ll need expert help.
Another thing that can tell you if the tree is dying is if the buds appear completely different than they used to. This can mean that the tree and buds are infested with a disease. If this is the situation, you should immediately take action before the disease can reach the trunk and cause your entire tree to rot. If you aren’t sure about your skills and knowledge, a professional will surely tell you what needs to be done.
6. If The Leaves Are Discolored
Last on our list of red flags, but equally worth mentioning is if the leaves are discolored. If the colors aren’t as bright as they were before or if the leaves are completely deformed, the tree might be battling a disease. Of course, discolored leaves can occur because of the weather and temperature, however, if they don’t change as time passes, you can take it as an indicator that the plant isn’t healthy anymore, which is why you’ll need to remove them.
Conclusion
No matter what sign from our list you notice first, it’s extremely important that you take immediate action since if not, the tree in your backyard could end up being a major safety hazard for you, your family, pets, as well as for your house. Because of this, you’ll want to carefully monitor the condition of the plants in your yard.
Since you now know what you’ll have to do to determine whether or not you’ll need to call a professional tree removal company, you should spend more time reading articles similar to this one. Instead, keep all of our tips in mind, head to your backyard, and start inspecting!
