If you are landscaping your yard and notice that one of your trees looks sick, you may be able to treat it. In many cases, however, you should remove the tree. It is important that you do so as branches can fall or the tree itself could fall and damage your home or cause injury to someone. To help you know what to do, below are two signs you should hire a tree removal company.
Is Infected
One thing that can take a tree down is infection. There are many signs that your tree has an infection. The most common signs are deep cracks in the bark, thin crown, leaves that look dead or discolored, and bark that easily crumbles when you touch it. You may also notice something foreign growing on the bark, which would be a fungus. Most fungi are a light color, such as white or cream.
Look for holes on the tree, which is a sign that it has pests boring holes through the wood. Look at the branches to see if you see any that are dead. If your tree is severely infected, there are likely many dead branches. If you notice a lot of this damage on your tree, removing it would be your best option. If only a small part of your tree looks infected, an arborist may be able to treat it.
Has Quit Growing
During the summer months, you should see leaves growing on your tree or at least see a lot of green buds. If you do not see any of this, then your tree is either dead or is in the process of dying. Look at the same type of trees growing in your yard or your neighborhood so you can see the difference. Your tree may be much shorter or thinner than the other trees.
In many cases, a tree that has quit growing is beyond help as it likely has severe disease. Contact a professional before you have the tree cut down to make sure there is nothing that can be done about it. Some common diseases include powdery mildew, lethal yellow, blight, cedar rusts, and oak wilt.
Never try to cut down a tree on your own because if it's not done correctly, the tree will fall the wrong way and cause damage or injury. Instead, hire a tree removal company. They start out by cutting branches from the tree and then chopping the tree down. They will then grind the stump if you want them to.