What to Do if You Suspect Tree Disease
If you love the beauty afforded by Mother Nature, you may have a number of mature trees in your back garden that you can admire through the seasons. Over the years, you've become familiar with their growth pattern and can tell, simply by looking at them, if something is amiss. Yet you need to get to the bottom of the problem to see what is actually wrong, so you can take action to rectify it before everything gets worse. Consequently, you need to be able to conduct a closer inspection and will need to know exactly what you're looking for.
Closing in
Obviously, it can be difficult to access some of these trees, especially if they have grown to a great height. Therefore, you should pick up a set of binoculars that will help you to look at the problem while you remain safely on the ground.
Signs of Infection
Have a close look at the leaves to see if you can spot any signs of viral infection, bacterial or fungal growth. Don't focus too much around the edges of each leaf, as it's usual to see some discolouration here due to insects and general weatherisation. However, if you can see issues towards the centre of the leaf, then this may indicate a systemic problem throughout the tree.
Irregular Shedding
You may also notice that the tree has begun to shed its leaves out of season, and this is definitely some cause for alarm. It's possible that it is suffering from dehydration, especially if the weather has been particularly dry recently, but it may also have contracted some type of illness.
The Dreaded Dieback
One problem which has affected many trees in recent times is known as 'dieback'. If you can see that some of the leaves on a particular stem are wilting or have brown or black discolouration, then this may be the issue. Eventually, the shoots, twigs and branches will all take on this type of discolouration, and the problem could spread to the entire crown. You may also notice strange lesions on the trunk or branches to give further evidence of this issue.
Taking Action
It can certainly be disheartening to notice any of these symptoms, but if you do, you need to take action. You should ask an arborist to corroborate your findings and advise you of your best course of action. Unfortunately, if one tree is badly affected, then you may have to remove it to make sure that the disease does not spread to all the rest. Contact a tree removal service for help removing your tree.