Signs of a Sick Tree & What You Need to Do If Your Tree is Affected

There are a million reasons, as many readers of this blog will know, why we just love a beautiful, healthy tree. Not only are they spectacularly beautiful, they're a crucial part of our natural world and you and I wouldn't be here at all without their oxygen! But it's just a fact, like every living entity, that trees will eventually die.

It may be sad and often inevitable for a tree to die, but sometimes you can spot the signs of a dying tree and do something about it. That can be nursing it back to being a healthy tree, getting it professionally pruned, or deciding that a qualified Arborist should check out a dying tree. Together, you could put a plan into action to restore a dying tree's life, or decide to remove that tree before it becomes a bigger issue.
Dying trees, how they can be spotted

Trunk, twigs, leaves-a tree is a tree, isn't it? Not entirely. There are plenty of ways you can spot the signs before a healthy tree becomes a dead tree before it dies and starts posing a threat to your home, family or property.

A range of factors, including illness, age, pests and weather, can cause the death of a tree. There are different characteristics of each distinct type of tree and will therefore show different symptoms of ill health, but here are some basic things to look for:
1. The Bark

That's a sure sign of an unhealthy tree if you've noticed that a tree's bark looks different from normal or has begun to fall off, crumble or lose its previous texture or colour.
2. The trunk, the trunk

The actual trunk can also crack beyond the bark while it's in the process of being a dying tree. Some cracks are normal and will be there without trouble for years, but it's time to call an Arborist if you spot a new crack that is particularly deep.
3. The leaves

In the summer and spring seasons, a healthy tree will have thick, full foliage. But if yours stops producing leaves, or you suspect the decrease in foliage is because it's on the way to becoming a dead tree, you might be right: there are usually no full, lush canopies of dying trees.
4. The foliage

The leaf can be a significant signal of sick, dying or dead trees by zooming in a little closer. While leaves change colours through the seasons, unusual spots or leaf changes are a sign that a dying tree could be what you have. These changes in the leaves might be due to illness or lack of nutrients, but only a qualified Arborist will be able to give you a complete answer.
5. To the pests

A variety of pests can lead to the death of a tree, and beetle types, wasps, borers, and termites are the most common in Australia. Some of these pests may steal nutrients from the healthy tree that it needs to thrive and survive, so look for any signs that your tree has become infested. These include damage, discoloration and holes.
6. DEADWOOD

Just because you spot deadwood, parts of the tree that are obviously already dead, doesn't necessarily mean that you're dealing with a dead tree soon. But an increased deadwood prevalence can indicate that your tree is not healthy, so before you act, get an Arborist to give you a professional opinion.
7. The Soil

You can finally move your gaze away from the real tree to the soil that surrounds it. If it looks cracked and dry, it's a sure sign that it's going to make your tree very thirsty. And if it has disturbed the area around it, the root system of the tree may have been affected.