Is Your Tree Going to Fall Over?

How to Inspect Your Trees

No one knows your trees as well as you. So after they leaf out in the spring, leaf off in the fall, and after a big storm, walk around and look at your lovelies, top to bottom, noticing changes in foliage, branches, roots, and bark.

• Inspect all sides of the tree, both up close and from a distance.

• Check for cuts in or peeling bark.

• Use binoculars to inspect the tree’s crown for dead wood and brown leaves.

Leaning Trees

Trees usually don’t grow straight, and a little lean is normal. But when your tree starts looking like the Tower of Pisa because of poor weight distribution or anchor root damage, it’s likely unstable. This is a good time to call an arborist.

Danger signs:

• Cracked or heaving soil, especially on the side opposite the lean.

• Exposed roots around the base of the tree.

Cures:

• Prune branches to distribute weight better.

• Brace the tree trunk with cables attached to stakes on opposite sides of the tree. Make sure to pad the tree before placing cables around tender bark.

Multiple Trunks

A tree with multiple trunks, or with splits in one trunk, can be unstable.

Danger signs:

• V-shaped or U-shaped multiple trunks are weak points for mature trees. The connective wood where the trunks come together may lose strength — and be more likely to split — with age and when storms occur.

• Cracks that extend deeply into or through the trunk.

Cures:

An arborist can stabilize split trunks by attaching cables between trunks and branches high in the tree. Cables won’t repair existing damage, but they will increase the safety, especially in strong winds, and extend the life of your tree.

This is dangerous work best left to experts, who will charge between $600 and $2,000; annual cable maintenance costs $100-$200.

Construction Destruction

Construction is tough on trees. Installing a driveway, putting on an addition, and digging up utility lines puts nearby trees under stress. Construction can damage shallow feeder roots, starving and destabilizing the tree. Construction equipment can scrape tree bark, providing a gateway set for disease and infestation.

Danger signs of construction stress (which can show up immediately or years later):

• Damaged bark

• Reduced, smaller, or no foliage

• Premature autumn color

• Mushrooms, conks, and carpenter ants at the base of the tree are a sign of decay and rot.

Cures:

Prevention is your best option. Before construction, set up a barricade around the tree; for each inch in diameter of the tree’s trunk, add a foot of protection. For example, an 8-inch-diameter tree needs a barricade with an 8-foot radius.

If the tree is damaged by construction, act fast:

• Prune to reduce weight and remove damaged limbs.

• Install cables or bracing rods.

• Water deeply.

• Aerate compacted soil around the root zone.

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