Spring Tree Care

Over the last couple of years, we have heard about, and some communities have seen firsthand, the devastation caused when a mature tree falls on a house.

Trees are an important and valuable resource in an urban environment. They provide many environmental services, and can add thousands of dollars to the value of a home. That said, trees could be dangerous when they fall. Even perfectly healthy trees can fail in extreme weather.  We can evaluate and monitor trees for signs of disease and structural weakness that can cause them to fall in less extreme or even ordinary weather events.

The very best way for a property owner to evaluate the health and soundness of their trees is to hire a certified arborist. Trees are very good at hiding damage and disease, so even healthy a professional should examine looking trees.

Fairfax County has a webpage on tree care and a page devoted to hiring an arborist.

Here are some indications of problems for which a property owner can look:

• Die back in the crown. Branches must make their own food, so branches growing in the shade may die as part of the natural process of tree growth, but dying branches high in the crown are a sign of disease or damage.
• Mushrooms near the base of the tree, especially if they radiate out in lines from the base of the tree, can indicate rot in the root system.
• Shelf fungus or mushrooms growing on the side of the tree are an indication of rot in the trunk of the tree.
• Peeling bark exposing wood, rotten wood or cavities in the trunk are also signs of rot in the trunk of the tree.
• Excessive leaf loss or dead leaves in the tree can be a sign of pests or disease that can weaken a tree.
• Included bark is a sign of weak branch unions. There should be a ridge of bark in the joint between two branches or between a branch and the trunk. This indicates a strong joint that is being properly wrapped by wood as the tree grows. Sometimes the bark dives down into the joint and forms a wedge that weakens the joint. Some trees, like Bradford Pears, are known for having included bark and weak joints.
• Noticeable change in the lean of a tree. Trees can grow with a lean, usually to reach for the sun, but that lean is stable. When a tree that wasn’t leaning starts to lean or a leaning tree starts to lean more, that is an indication that it is becoming uprooted. Sometimes an increased lean will be accompanied by a disturbance around the base of the tree or cracks in the soil away from the lean.

If you see any of these problems, you should call an arborist immediately. Trees are valuable living things, and they deserve the same standard of care as our pets. Provide them a periodic visit from an appropriate health care professional.

This article was provided to Burke Patch by the Fairfax County Arborists.