Trees provide shade, help freshen the air, and even add value to your property. We all want our trees to stay strong and healthy, but what should you do if you think one of your trees might be dead?
Dead trees don’t just look unattractive, they can actually pose a safety risk. Dead trees are more fragile. They drop branches easily and may even fall completely if not taken care of properly.
Today, I’ll show you how to tell if your tree is dead, and what you can do to keep your home, property, and family safe.
What Causes Trees to Die?
Trees live hundreds of years, right?
Many of them can, but damage and diseases can unfortunately kill a tree prematurely. In an ideal world, you’d notice the warning signs early on.
When a tree is dying, the cause of the problem usually starts underground with the roots and soil. Luckily, you can often see signs of tree death and disease above ground.
Here are some of the most common reasons why trees die:
Too Much or Too Little Water
Making sure your tree gets enough water is especially important when it’s young. Too little water can dry a tree out, while too much can drown it.
How much water your tree needs depends on the type of tree you have and where you live. The Arbor Day Foundation has some helpful tips for how much to water your tree at each stage of its growth.
Contact your local certified arborist if you have more questions about how to water your tree.
Changes in the Soil Grade
Changes in the soil level around your tree can affect how much water and nutrients the tree can absorb. That’s because trees’ primary feeding roots are usually located in the top six inches of soil. Changing the soil grade by even just a few inches can create a problem.
If you’re thinking of adding soil to your yard, be careful. Avoid adding too much near your tree if you can.
Root Damage
Trees need their roots to absorb nutrients and even remain standing. Big trees have strong, sturdy roots, but even those roots can be damaged.
If you have frequently driven over or parked on a tree’s roots, there’s a chance they were damaged.
Not only can the weight of a car damage roots, but all that weight also compacts the soil beneath it, making it harder for the tree to get the water, oxygen, and other nutrients it needs from the soil.
Pouring concrete, laying asphalt, or paving over tree roots can cause similar problems. If tree roots don’t have room to grow, or something is preventing them from feed from the soil, you may have a problem.
Improper Planting or Transplanting
Young trees are especially sensitive, so planting and transplanting them can be risky. A couple common mistakes are:
Digging a too shallow or too deep hole
Packing the soil down too hard after planting
Both can smother the tree and prevent proper root growth.
Tip: Any time you plant or transplant a tree, be careful of the root ball (the tangle of roots at the bottom of a young tree). If there is burlap or twine tied around the roots, remove it carefully. Then, gently loosen and separate the root ball just enough to help the roots spread out before you place the tree in the ground.
The warning signs will be slightly different depending on what type of tree you’re dealing with. Usually, though, you’ll be able to tell if there’s something wrong.
What should you look for?
Falling Leaves or Needles
A tree that is dying or dead often loses its leaves or needles very quickly and suddenly. Or it has no foliage whatsoever, even during a time of year when it should.
Changing Colors
Unexplained discoloration of the foliage is another common sign of stress or disease — usually one of the first ones you’ll notice.
Brown, multi-colored needles are a common sign of sickness in conifer trees.
Cracks and Splits
Big cracks or splits in the structure of the tree can be a sign that the tree is dead, especially if other warning signs are also present or if the crack is in the trunk.
Changing Bark
A strange or different bark texture can also spell trouble. Tree bark is often a good indicator of the tree’s overall health. If bark is missing, loose, dry, or brittle, be concerned. When branches lose their bark, it means those branches are most likely dead.
Infections and Infestations
Animals and fungi often start taking over dead trees too. Fungus usually only grows on decaying wood, so keep an eye out for mushrooms!
Insects like carpenter ants and beetles often set up camp in dead wood too. Look for rows of small holes in the wood or places where wood has clearly been eaten away:
A weak or spongy trunk can be a sign that a tree is rotting from the inside. If you notice this, call your local certified arborist right away. Rotting in the trunk is a sign that your tree may no longer be stable. You’ll want to get it taken care of before branches start falling, or worse, the whole tree comes down.
What Can I Do if My Tree Is Dead?
If your tree is dead, your best option is to have a professional come and remove it safely. If it’s a large or precariously positioned tree, you’ll want to do this as soon as possible.
If your tree is simply old, sick, or just unstable, you may have other options besides tree removal, such as cabling and bracing. Depending on the cause and extent of the damage, you might be able to salvage your tree or at least increase its life.
No matter what state your tree is in, an arborist, like us at Northwest Arbor Culture, can help you determine the best course of action for keeping your home safe and beautiful.
If it turns out your tree needs to be removed, we can help. We’ll even get rid of the stump for you! With over 30 years of landscaping experience, we can also help you decide what to do with the empty space or help you reconfigure your entire yard if you like!
If you’re worried about one of your trees, don’t wait until it’s too late.
Having a big tree in your front yard is great… most of the time. Trees look nice, increase your home’s value, and provide shade, keeping your yard cooler in the summer. When fall comes around, it’s a different story.
Raking leaves is tiring, and keeping your property leaf-free can be a process lasting several months, depending on the tree. Most people don’t look forward to it. Maybe that’s why not raking the lawn is a growing trend.
Many people say it’s actually better for your lawn to not rake leaves. Are they right?
Pros and Cons of Raking Leaves
There’s good and bad on both sides.
For most people, the biggest benefit of raking leaves is the overall improvement to the appearance of their yard. Not to mention the fun of being able to jump into a freshly raked pile.
The biggest drawback for most homeowners is that it’s a lot of work. If you have a big yard and big trees, you may have to invest a couple of hours every weekend for a few months just to stay on top of it.
Other people say leaving a layer of fallen leaves suffocates the lawn and kills the grass. There’s quite a bit of evidence to the contrary, but if you really want to do what’s best for your lawn, you probably have better options than simply leaving your leaves untouched.
What Should You Do With Your Leaves?
Whether or not you rake your leaves really depends on a variety of factors, like where you live, how much work you want to put into leaf-control, and what you want your yard to look like.
Here are a few options to consider:
Leave Them Alone
Leaving fallen leaves usually won’t damage your lawn — unless you have a LOT of leaves or you get heavy snow in the winter where you live. That might stop your lawn from getting the natural light and fresh air it needs to survive.
For most people, leaving leaves alone is a viable option.
Some neighborhood associations may want you to remove all your leaves to keep your lawn looking pristine. If that’s your situation, keep reading.
Compost Them
Did you know that even fallen leaves contain important minerals that are great for your soil and other plants? When you compost your leaves, you can get a healthier yard and find a use for all those leaves that would otherwise go to waste!
Want to try it?
Use a lawn sweeper or rake leaves into a pile somewhere out of the way, like the backyard. If you’re fine having the pile their for a while, you’re done! But if you want to encourage leaves to break down a little faster, try one of these tips:
Grind or shred your leaves.
Mix leaves with manure or another nitrogen rich material.
Turn the heap regularly — anywhere from every 3 weeks to every 3 days.
Turning leaves more often encourages them to break down faster.
Once the leaves are broken down you can use them as mulch for your lawn. It’s great for grass and other plants!
Leaf Pick Up
Many cities have programs for collecting leaves. The city will compost them for you! In Portland, where we’re located, leaf day pickups happen from early November to mid-December.
If you’re in Portland, you can participate in a leaf day pickup by checking what day the leaf truck will come through your neighborhood. You can find that out on their website when it gets closer to leaf pickup time, or call (503-865-5323) or email the city.
Before your pickup day, rake or sweep your leaves into the street 12 inches from the curb and make sure you move your car. Here are some other recommendations from the City of Portland.
Don’t live in Portland? Check your city’s official website to find out if your area has a yearly leaf pickup.
What if it’s Rainy?
Here in Portland, rain in the fall is pretty common. Unfortunately. that makes it much harder to do anything useful with your leaves. The good news is heavy rain might make your leaves naturally biodegrade faster.
Even if you do plan to eventually rake or compost them, it’s fine to leave them until they dry out a bit.
Soggy leaves can be slippery, though. So try to at least get them off paths, sidewalks, and driveways. You can try using a rake or even a shovel with a flat head like a scoop shovel or a scraper.
What About Leaf Blowing?
Leaf blowing is great for moving dry leaves off paths, driveways, and sidewalk quickly and easily. It that’s all you want to do, it might be worth investing in a leaf blower.
The thing about leaf blowers is they just move leaves around rather than getting rid of them. They’re less precise than a rake or lawn sweeper, so they’re not great for getting leaves exactly where you want them, like in a pile.
If you want to actually get rid of leaves or compost them, you’re better off with a good rake or lawn sweeper and maybe a shovel to get leaves off concrete and asphalt.
Conclusion
I hope this post helped you find the best method for dealing with your fallen leaves this year. Regular tree pruning can reduce the number of leaves you have to deal with. If you want some free pruning advice give us a call at (503) 538-8733.
Do you have other solutions for dealing with leaves in the fall? Share them in the comments!
There are many factors that can compromise the health of your tree. Both man-made and natural forces can easily lead to the damage and even death of your landscape. Not only do dying trees create an eyesore in your yard and devalue your property, but they can also pose a threat to the safety of you and your home.
So, how do you know if your tree is dying and what should you do if it is already dead?
This article will describe the symptoms of dead and dying trees and the steps you can take when you know your tree is dead.
Signs that a tree is dead or dying
Several simple signs will generally tell you that your tree is dying or already dead. If you notice that a tree is losing leaves or needles at an incredible rate or that it now has no foliage whatsoever, your tree is most likely dying. Rapid discoloration of foliage is usually the first sign of stress and can ultimately lead to the end of a tree’s life.
Often times the texture and health of tree bark can also be an indicator of the overall health of the tree. The loss of bark or dryness and brittle bark can be a sign of declining tree health.
If a tree is dying and rotting, you can often feel the tree trunk turning spongy and weakening from the inside. Sudden limb failure, limb cracking and excess foliage loss can also indicate that your tree is near its’ end.
But how can you prevent a tree from dying?
Common causes of tree death
While the signs of tree death and disease are generally seen above ground, the root of the problem usually starts below ground with the roots and soil. Here are some of the common reasons why trees die and ways that you can avoid killing your tree.
Lack of Water or Too Much Water – Often times we associate the death of tree with the lack of water. But as sensitive as trees are to too little water, too much water can pose just as large of a threat. Make sure to water your trees correctly based upon their species as well as your overall climate. Contact your local Certified Arborist if you have any questions about how much to water your trees.
Changing the Soil Grade – We’re not talking about flunking your tree out of class. When you add or take away soil from the area above your trees roots, you greatly impact the flow of water and nutrients to the tree. The primary feeding roots in trees are often found in the top six inches of the soil, so even changing the level of soil around your tree by four to six inches can cause severe stress in your trees and lead to death.
Compacting Soil – Driving cars and heavy machinery on the soil that covers tree roots can quickly kill a tree. Compacted soil doesn’t allow for water and oxygen to circulate through the dirt. Depriving the tree of oxygen and other nutrients in the soil.
Girdling Roots – Often times when tree is grown in a nursery the roots are trimmed to create a compact root ball that makes transplanting easy. Yet, this trimming can often lead to roots twisting around themselves and strangling the tree as the roots tighten and grow. Look for ‘pot bound’ or tightly packed roots before you purchase and plant a nursery tree.
Improper Transplanting – When you transplant a tree there are many things that can go wrong. One common mistake is digging too small or too deep of a hole. This impedes root growth and can choke the tree. A tree should be planted in a hole no deeper than and at least three times the diameter of the root ball.
Another mistake is packing the soil within the hole, as well as, on top of the newly planted tree. Make sure to loosen or scrape the soil on the edges and bottom of the hole. Don’t pack down ‘back-fill’ soil you use to plant the tree. Packed soil will deprive the lower roots from receiving water and oxygen and stunt or kill your tree.
Lastly, when you transplant your tree pay close attention to the root ball. Always remove and unwrap any burlap and twine that may be tied to the tree. Help the roots spread by gently loosening and separating the root ball before planting the tree.
What Do I Do If My Tree Is Dead?
Many times, when you see the signs of a dying tree it may be too late to salvage. If your trees are dead and dying you have several options left to help keep you and your home safe and beautiful.
Cabling – If a tree is old, sick, or just unstable, you can mount stabilizing metal cables and braces to the tree. This can stop a tree from splitting or falling over during the rest of its’ life.
Tree Removal – If a tree is dead it can quickly become a falling hazard. Removing a dead tree can keep you and your home safe before any heavy winds or natural forces like gravity send the tree toppling to the ground.
In an earlier blog post we discussed the dangers of DIY tree removal. Make sure to play it safe and call a professional Certified Arborist for all your tree removal needs.
Stump Grinding – Once you cut down a tree you can remove the stump to get rid of that ugly reminder of your fallen tree. Northwest Arbor Culture Inc. offers stump grinding services that safely and effectively remove your stump. Allowing you to have an open yard and reuse the chipped wood for garden and tree mulch.
The professionals at Northwest Arbor Culture Inc. offer tree bracing, cabling, large tree removal, and stump grinding services across the Pacific Northwest. We are known for providing quality services at a fair price and have over 30 years of landscaping and tree care experience.
Contact us or give us a call today at (503) 538-8733 for all of your tree care needs.
Have you had a dead or dying tree in your yard? Tell us how you dealt with your tree in the comments section below.
Making sure your tree gets enough water is especially important when it’s young. Too little water can dry a tree out, while too much can drown it.
Trees need their roots to absorb nutrients and even remain standing. Big trees have strong, sturdy roots, but even those roots can be damaged. 
Changing Colors
Changing Colors
Did you know that even fallen leaves contain important minerals that are great for your soil and other plants? When you compost your leaves, you can get a healthier yard and find a use for all those leaves that would otherwise go to waste! 
Here in Portland, rain in the fall is pretty common. Unfortunately. that makes it much harder to do anything useful with your leaves. The good news is heavy rain might make your leaves naturally biodegrade faster. 
dryness and brittle bark can be a sign of declining tree health.
on top of the newly planted tree. Make sure to loosen or scrape the soil on the edges and bottom of the hole. Don’t pack down ‘back-fill’ soil you use to plant the tree. Packed soil will deprive the lower roots from receiving water and oxygen and stunt or kill your tree.
an open yard and reuse the chipped wood for garden and tree mulch.
