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HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR TREE IS SICK: SIGNS OF TREE HEALTH ISSUES

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Trees are like us – they can get sick. The only difference is we can go to the clinic and get help when we need it. Trees rely on us to be able to assess what is wrong, and if needed, get professional help.

It is important to diagnose tree health symptoms as soon as possible. Tree damage may be taking place right under your nose from common culprits like disease and insects. Often, these problems can become widespread before you even notice them. There is such a large variety of issues that can wreak havoc, that many of them are not very easy to identify. In many cases, the damage has been going on for years until it becomes so severe that it’s obvious.

You probably don’t know how to tell if your tree is unhealthy or what is causing the problems, but there are some common signs you can look for which might help you spot a problem early. Being armed with some basic diagnostic tools may help you avoid losing a mature plant that you value.

Here are some common signs of tree problems in order to better equip you with the knowledge to ensure your tree is healthy and happy.

1. Leaf Rust

First thing, give your trees a visual inspection. Checking the leaves is one of the first key steps as unhealthy trees lose their leaves prematurely. When you see yellow, orange and gold spots rupturing leaf surfaces, you’re dealing with rust. Leaves are discolored or mottled yellow to brown. Powdery fungal clusters appear on the leaves and leaves may become twisted and distorted.

While it rarely kills plants, rust fungus makes leaves unsightly and weakens the plant by interfering with photosynthesis, the process a plant uses to make food. Each plant species that are susceptible to rust, hosts a particular rust species that may vary from other rust species in appearance.

2. Scratch test

One of the best ways to determine if a tree is dead is the tree scratch test. Just beneath the dry, outer layer of bark in a tree’s trunk lies the cambium layer of bark. In a living tree, this is green, in a dead tree, it is brown. Scratching bark to see if the tree is alive involves removing a little bit of the outside layer of bark to get a look at the cambium layer. You can do this without making a big mark in the tree. If you perform the tree scratch test on a tree trunk and see green tissue, the tree is alive. This does not always work so well if you scratch a single branch since the branch may be dead but the rest of the tree alive.

During times of severe drought and high temperatures, a tree may “sacrifice” branches, allowing them to die for the rest of the tree to stay alive. So, if choosing to do a scratch test on a branch, choose several in different areas of the tree or just scraping the tree trunk itself.

3. Check the soil

Trees within cities or highly industrialized areas may have an unhealthy appearance because they cannot access nutrients that may be in the soil but are not in a useable form. You may notice leaves that are small, discolored and may also notice they have a thin canopy, poor growth, and stem dieback. If this is the case, your tree might be “Alkaline Intolerant.”

Reducing your soil pH even slightly can have a huge effect on the appearance and health of alkaline intolerant plants. To reduce the pH on a property, you can do a soil test to determine the exact acidity levels. Treatment methods will always depend on the specific needs of the tree. Soil pH is not easy to manipulate and your soil will always work towards reverting to its original acidity, so you will need to keep an eye on it.

4. Insects

Although plants have natural immune systems, there are many times where Mother Nature cannot heal the tree from bugs on your property. Insects can ravage your landscape and leave lasting damage. There are tens of thousands of insect species that live in, on and around trees. Most of them do not cause significant harm, but there are more than a few that can negatively impact the trees we enjoy in our landscapes.

There are many species of insects that can cause great harm to the trees they attack. Most of these have specific types of trees that provide what they want and attack certain parts of the tree, usually to meet their nutritional or shelter needs. In these cases, insecticide or other forms of treatment may be applied through injections, spraying, or soil drenches to control insects.

We are here to help!

Ultimately, you want to do the best to save and maintain the tree, but remember, unhealthy trees are also dangerous. You don’t want to increase risk and your safety to save the tree. Dying and/or dead trees can fall on residences, so it is important to fix these problems before they cause any serious damage.

That’s where we come in handy. We can provide an expert diagnosis on your tree’s health by a certified arborist. We can recommend work to restore your tree, such as pruning, spraying for pests and fungus, improving soil conditions, correcting drainage problems and many more remedial measures.

Prevention is better than cure. We pride ourselves on working closely with owners to also develop a program for maintenance and treatment to avoid any future issues. And, in worse case situations, we can also organize removal if the tree is beyond rectification.

If you are experiencing any problems with your trees, give us a call or fill out our request a quote to arrange an on-site evaluation.

Alexander Tree Care has been serving Toronto and York Region; including  Newmarket, Aurora, Richmond Hill, Markham, Georgina, Vaughan, Bradford King City, King Township and areas for over 10 years. An ISA certified arborist will always be on any crew to perform expert tree and shrub service. For peace of mind we are fully insured and covered by WSIB. Don’t forget to follow what our customers have been saying about Alexander Tree Care. Check out our reviews on HomeStars and Google.

You can find us on Facebook, or click here to contact us.

Till next time,
Alexander

When It Comes to Tree Care, A Picture Isn’t Always Worth A Thousand Words

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Periodically, Alexander Tree Care receives requests by email accompanied with photos of trees or shrubs that require some attention. Other times we get requests to drive by a particular property without the customer present. In either instance, Alexander Tree Care prefers to provide estimates to customers in person for a variety of reasons.

The Limitations of a Picture

Based on our experience, photos have limitations and rarely reflect the true and exact conditions that exist on site. Upon actual inspection the size of the trees are usually larger or smaller than how they appear in a photo. A photo of a tree at the rear of the property does not give a complete picture, no pun intended. For example, there can be hidden issues that will directly impact the removal such as buildings, pools and other fixtures in close proximity to the tree. Access to the removal site could be impeded or impacted for a number of reasons; affecting the time it will take to remove brush offsite efficiently.

The tree in the photo could be near a high phase voltage line or leaning precariously to one side. The condition of the tree could go unnoticed and be in such serious decline that certain precautions and extra measures will need to be taken.

Nothing can replace discussing tree work with the customer in person. It’s the best way to gain a true understanding of the customer’s expectations and objectives. It also allows Alexander Tree Care the opportunity to explain and expand on how all aspects of the work would be conducted to achieve or exceed the desired results. Alternatives and other recommendations can also come to realization. All of this provides the customer with complete and full information. The cost estimate given will be precise and not subject to change due to something being overlooked.

Alexander Tree Care Provides On-site Estimates Free of Charge

Take the time to meet with our ISA certified arborist with years of experience and qualifications. Alexander Tree Care provides a variety of services including tree and shrub removals, emergency removals, trimming, pruning, planting, hedge clipping, stump grinding and tree health care. Alexander Tree Care services Aurora, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Markham, Vaughan, Bradford, Holland Landing, East Gwillimbury, Keswick, Georgina, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Schomberg, King City, King Township and Toronto. You can find us on Facebook, or click here to contact us.

Till next time,

Alexander

Another Great Season Alexander Tree Care York Region Arborist, Tree Removal Newmarket

Another Successful Season

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As the tree work is slowly winding down for the season, Alexander Tree Care pauses to reflect on its accomplishments in 2018.

Topping our list is the continuous growth of our business. With the addition of repeat customers, many referrals as well as new customers. We sincerely believe this is the result of customer satisfaction and continuously strive for and gain one customer at a time. Our customers recognize good value, professionalism, and excellent results. These areas cannot be overstated. From major tree removals and tree pruning to the extra time spent on meticulous trimming of specimen trees, ornamental shrubs and hedges; our customers have shared their positive experiences. These are reflected in the reviews they have made on Google, HomeStars and other sites.

Top Three in Newmarket

Alexander Tree Care was honoured as one of the top three tree services in Newmarket for 2018 by ThreeBestRated.ca. This website uses a multi-point inspection; which includes checking reviews, ratings, reputation, history, complaints, satisfaction, trust and cost to general excellence. Again, we are very honoured for this recognition; and strive to continue to stay in the top three for tree services in Newmarket in years to come.

Currently Alexander Tree Care is fully booked with scheduled work for the remainder of the 2018 season; but we are taking on clients and tree work for the new year, and would be happy to add you to our list. Please feel free to contact us to ensure your spot on our priority list for scheduled work or quotes early next spring.

Alexander Tree Care wishes to thank all of our customers for an incredible season. We also want to take this time to remind new customers that our services include; tree and shrub removals, trimming, pruning, planting, stump grinding, and tree-health care. We currently service the areas of Newmarket, Aurora, Richmond Hill, Markham, Vaughan, Bradford, Holland Landing, Keswick, Georgina, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Schomberg, King City, King Township and Toronto. You can find us on Facebook, or click here to contact us.

Till next time,

Alexander

Reduce Factors Contributing to Tree Failure from Wind Storms - Tree Damage from Windstorms Newmarket, Aurora, Toronto, Richmond Hill - Alexander Tree Care

Reduce Factors Contributing to Tree Failure from Wind Storms

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This past May 4, 2018, southern Ontario experienced a severe windstorm that left a vast trail of damage to hydro lines, homes and trees. Winds in excess of 100km per hour were observed. In some areas winds were as high as 120km per hour. In many cases, downed trees and branches were directly responsible for inflicting damage to hydro lines and homes.

Mature Spruce Trees Were Particularly Affected

Alexander Tree Care started getting emergency calls within a very short time after the storm ended. The very first three calls involved uprooted spruce trees. In the aftermath, it became apparent to us that many calls involved evergreens rather than deciduous trees. Mature spruce trees were particularly affected. We began to question if there was a specific reason to this pattern or was it simply just a coincidence?

Dense evergreens and shrubs are recommended as excellent windbreaks around homes. While that may be so, are they less wind resistant than other trees like deciduous ones? We cannot draw conclusions solely from our own experience during one recent wind storm. There are just too many variables to consider and not enough information and data from any field studies to draw any reasonable conclusions.

Factors Which Can Contribute to the Failure of Trees and their Branches

The aforementioned, however, is a good segue to conduct a brief discussion on factors which can contribute to the failure of trees and branches during a severe weather event. It should be noted that even healthy trees with no signs of structural weakness or other issues can be affected during severe wind conditions. They are simply unable to withstand the destructive force caused by storms.

A Dense Canopy

A dense canopy can be less wind resistant than a thinned-out one. Reducing the density of the canopy by pruning improves air flow and reduces air drag.

Unbalanced Tree Structures

Balancing the structure of a tree is another simple solution to reduce the risk of tree failure. Many trees can have larger or more limbs on one side than the other causing uneven weight distribution. Selective removal of branches would be highly recommended to achieve balance.

Tree Decay

Trees with cavities, which may be home to nesting squirrels or birds, are a good indication of tree decay. Mushrooms or conks attached to trees are also a good indicator of decay. Decaying trees and branches are at higher risk of breaking under severe wind load conditions. For safety reasons removal of the tree with this condition may be the only viable option. Once tree decay occurs it is irreversible and can likely spread.

There are cases where decay is not always readily detected. A tree trunk may look healthy and sound but the roots may be rotted out due to soil fungus. Dig below the ground to detect if any decaying is taking place. The main culprit of soil fungus is overwatering or poor drainage. Removing nearby decaying material such as logs and stumps is also advisable to reduce the potential of fungi spreading.

“Twin Trunks”

Trees with twin trunks, referred to as codominant trunks, are known to have poor attachments and therefore are susceptible to cracking and failing. The cracks usually occur below the area where the tree trunk splits in two. In this location weakness occurs from the build-up of trapped bark known as included bark. Various birch and maple trees, like silver, red, sugar and Norway, are some examples of trees that can form codominant stems. At the beginning of this blog there is a photo of a Norway maple with codominant trunks and a very visible and prominent crack. There is also a crack on the other side of this tree. These cracks will only get wider as the trunks get larger and heavier. They also create openings for pathogens and insect infestation.

If you have any tree or shrub issues needing attention, don’t hesitate in contacting Alexander Tree Care for expert advice and service. Check out our web site for all of the services we offer. Our area of operation includes:  Newmarket, Aurora, Richmond Hill, Markham, Vaughan, King City, King Township, East Gwillimbury, Bradford, Georgina, Stouffville, Uxbridge and Toronto.

Alexander Tree Care has been serving Toronto and York Region; including  Newmarket, Aurora, Richmond Hill, Markham, Georgina, Vaughan, Bradford King City, King Township and areas for over 10 years. An ISA certified arborist will always be on any crew to perform expert tree and shrub service. For peace of mind we are fully insured and covered by WSIB. Don’t forget to follow what our customers have been saying about Alexander Tree Care. Check out our reviews on HomeStars and Google.

You can find us on Facebook, or click here to contact us.

Till next time,

Alexander