Trees are valuable assets to any landscape, and not just for aesthetic reasons. These towering plants also offer shade and shelter for wildlife and other plants. Sometimes it’s obvious when a tree is dying: Its leaves might be turning brown in the summer, with branches riddled with holes from wood-boring pests. In other instances, it’s not clear when trees are in poor health, but tree health is always worth monitoring. Broken limbs from a dying tree that’s located near a home can cause injuries to people and animals, and can lead to costly repairs if they land on your home or car. Keep an eye out for these seven signs that you may have a dying tree so you can take care of it before it does damage to your property. 1. The tree has brown and brittle bark or cracks. As the tree is dying, the bark becomes loose and starts to fall off of a dying tree. The tree may also have vertical cracks or missing bark. “Check for deep splits in the bark that extend into the wood of the tree or internal or external cavities,” advises Matt Schaefer, Certified Arborist of The Davey Tree Expert Company, the largest residential tree care company in North America and the first tree care company in the United States. Cracks often create weakness that can cause damage in storms or other weather events. 2. There are few healthy leaves left.For deciduous trees, look for branches that lack lush green leaves and show only brown and brittle leaves during the growing season. They will also have dead leaves still clinging well into the winter instead of dropping to the ground. Coniferous evergreens will start to show red, brown or yellow needles or leaves when it’s stressed or dying. Original Article: https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-save-a-dying-tree/
Do Trees Talk to Each Other?
A controversial German forester says yes, and his ideas are shaking up the scientific world. I’m walking in the Eifel Mountains in western Germany, through cathedral-like groves of oak and beech, and there’s a strange
