Trees are living things, so that means that they can get “sick” like humans and animals. A disease or other tree issue might take a while to show itself because of the overall size of the tree, and once you see a symptom, it could be too late to revive the tree.
A professional arborist from NY Tree Trimming can help you identify and treat tree issues so that you have a much greater chance of saving the tree. Learn about our service here. Not only can an arborist prevent a tree from dying, but they can also help trees get more healthy growth and bloom more flowers or fruit with professional tree trimming.
Have you noticed a tree on your lawn that has always seemed OK but suddenly seems like something is wrong? In the next paragraphs, we’ll explain some of the most typical tree problems and diseases and what these symptoms mean for a tree.
If you see any of these things on any of your trees, act fast to have the best chance of saving the tree and the ones nearby it.
Tree Diseases & Common Problems
These 7 things are the most frequent problems addressed by experienced arborists in New York. As soon as you think one of these things might be wrong with your tree, reach out to someone with the training and tools to help!
Tree Diseases
Leaf Rust – Leaf rust is actually a fungus that is common in both plants and trees. The name comes from the brown and yellow spots this disease creates on the leaves.
Leaf rust is bad because it inhibits the leaves’ photosynthesis, the process by which it breathes. Leaf rust can be treated with fungicides and selective tree trimming of the diseased leaves. It might be necessary to remove whole limbs with leaf rust.
Witches’ Broom – This disease results in a large grouping of twigs, dead leaves and branches that look like a broom shape. It is caused by insects, unusually wet weather or fungus. The formation of a clump of twigs and leaves is the tree’s reaction to infection or harm.
Some cases of Witches’ Broom are fatal for the tree, while others are only considered a growth malformation. An arborist can tell you for sure.
Mildew – Mildew is a fungus that grows on just about anything in moist conditions, but even when the moist conditions are gone, mildew can persist and thrive. It appears as a powdery texture, usually white, and it usually shows up on the leaves of a tree first.
The trick to treating mildew is to use a fungicide that contains sulfur. This will eliminate the current mildew and prevent future mildew growth on the tree. You might also need to trim the tree to remove limbs, fruit, flowers and any leaves that were affected by the mildew
Gall – Gall is a tree condition that happens when insects build small nests on the leaves or branches of a tree to leave their eggs in. Most galls are not harmful to the tree, but they are not attractive.
Gall appears as as bumps on the tree, in a range of sizes. They are often white, brown, gray or some color in between.
It is not necessary to treat the tree if there are galls, but they can limit the growth of recently planted trees. Treat galls by killing the pests. You should also clean out from under the tree after the leaves fall off, since this is where the pests live during winter.
Other Tree Problems
Poor Trimming – There’s a science to tree pruning, as well as many types, and if you aren’t sure what you’re doing, you could harm the tree past the point of recovery. Consider the type of tree, season and other factors. Under-pruning (or a lack of pruning at all) is just as big of an issue. Only a trained arborist should be trusted to prune trees to keep them healthy.
Lack of Water – New trees can be severely impacted by drought. If you plant new trees, you will need to supplement how much water they get from rainfall. A tree that is not getting enough water will have its growth inhibited. The first symptom you are likely to noticed is scorched, dry leaves. Find more tips for new trees here.
Too Much Sun – Do some initial research before planting trees in a full-sun area of your property. Most species of trees can handle it just fine, but too much sun can become a problem for any tree if the sun is harsh for an extended period of time and rainfall is light. A tree that is getting too much sun needs even more water to fight against wilting, drooping leaves.
Certified Arborist Services in New York
An experienced arborist from NY Tree Trimming will be able to quickly identify what’s happening with your sick tree and put together a plan to save it.
Here are the things an arborist is trained to do:
- Inspect trees from below and from the branches of the tree if necessary. Climbing into the canopy is often necessary to identify exactly what is causing the symptoms.
- Treat your tree through fertilizers and additives in the soil or solutions applied to the leaves. This person will have knowledge about the disease affecting your tree and the best treatments.
- Prune trees to get rid of dead or diseased branches and to encourage healthy growth. Even if heavy trimming is necessary, they will know how to cut off branches so that the tree survives both the disease and the pruning.
- Remove the tree from your property if there is no chance to save it. The worst case is that the tree is dying, and removing it is the only choice to protect your property and surrounding landscape.
They can also educate you about the other trees that you have and how to best maintain them so you don’t return to the same situation again.
Some tree problems look very similar to one another, requiring a professional eye to accurately identify and treat the issue. If your trees are looking dry, unhealthy or disfigured, call a certified arborist from NY Tree Trimming for an inspection before it’s too late.
