Is your tree healthy? Is it safe? How do you know when to ask for help? Here are some signs that we look for as arborists at Port City Tree Care to tell if a tree deserves some love and attention.
Does the tree have as many leaves as its neighbors?
At this point in early summer, a healthy tree should have a full canopy of leaves. We often hear from homeowners that they noticed the lack of leaves early in the season but waited for several months to see if leaves would appear. If they haven’t appeared at this point in the year, there is potentially a problem and, as with all living things, the earlier we can treat the problem, the more confident we can be in its success.
Yes, I have leaves, but the leaves do not look right. Is that a problem?
Early signs of many diseases and insect infestations are shriveled, spotted, shredded, or off-colored leaves. Healthy leaves this time of year should be green (or red or yellow for certain trees!) and uniform in color and texture. Devastating issues often start with the most subtle signs and it’s better to get professional eyes on the problem as early as possible.
I had work done on my property digging and/or equipment driving around the yard. Can that hurt my tree(s)?
We love a well-done remodel or addition, and we work with many developers and builders to develop tree protection plans. However, the potential downside is damage to the tree’s roots. This damage is hard to see but tree roots can be very sensitive when cut or driven over. By the time symptoms begin to show and homeowners invite us to take a look, we are often limited in what we can do. You can identify a great arborist by how excited they get over roots and our tree nerds would love to chat about the least flashy parts of your trees.
At Port City Tree Care, we love people, trees, and talking to people about their trees. Our visits and advice are free so there is never any harm in raising a false alarm when the upside is catching a problem early enough that we can effectively treat it as delicately as possible. We fully embrace the principles of Integrated Pest Management where we endeavor to address problems as early and environmentally sensitive as possible and will only give advice to treat if it’s necessary. Do your trees a favor and take a leisurely walk around your yard to notice details and potential discrepancies. If you notice anything that looks off, give us a call, we would love to meet you and your trees!
<3 PCTC!