Should You Remove The Dying Tree In Your Garden?
You’ve noticed it for a while, but a tree in your garden seems to be dying. It’s starting to look lifeless, there’s a fungus growing on the bark, and it gives the illusion of a structure that is dying a slow and painful death.
One thought circles around your mind; should you cut it down? Removing trees is tricky, but surely it’s not a good idea to keep a dying tree in your garden?!
The thing is, there are different types of “dying” trees. Some trees have gone past the point of no return and will need to be removed. Otherwise, there’s a genuine risk that the tree could fall over and harm you or someone nearby – not to mention the damage it could do to the property.
But, some dying trees are merely going through a rough period. As a result, they can still be saved and may stick around for decades. In these cases, chopping down the tree is not a good idea at all.
So, how do you know what to do? Start by looking at the tree…
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What does the tree look like?
Usually, people get scared when trees start growing lots of moss and fungi. However, moss is not a problem at all. Talk to an arborist and explain the fungus to see if it is an issue, but it usually isn’t a massive thing to worry about. You should start to worry if there’s loads of fungus covering the majority of the tree, and you can visibly see the wood rotting away.
Another thing to look for is any greenery under the bark. Strip it away slightly to see if you can spot green areas. If you can, the tree probably isn’t dying – it’s just growing loads of moss and fungus as an added layer of protection for the cold weather.
Also, look for sticks on the ground and signs of injuries in the tree. If loads of sticks and branches start falling to the ground – and you can see tears in the bark – it’s a big warning sign the tree is dying.
What’s the right thing to do?
Realistically, the best course of action is to call a specialist in to look at your tree. Sometimes, you could spot some key warning signs that your tree is dying. It could be rotten, sticks and leaves falling from branches, etc. However, this may only indicate that part of the tree is dying. So, removing the affected limbs could cure the tree and allow it to thrive once more.
Realistically, removing the entire tree is a last resort. You should only do this if your tree has gone past the point of no return. Again, a specialist will help you understand this. If that is the case, you should never try to chop a tree down alone! Always get a professional to do it for you, as there’s a risk of injury and property damage.
Hopefully, this post has helped you learn what to do when there’s a dying tree in your garden. From here, you can sort everything out to ensure your backyard continues to flourish.
