Signs It's Time To Remove That Old Tree In Your Yard
Posted on: 26 June 2023
Trees do not live forever. When a tree becomes old and starts to deteriorate, there will come a point at which removing the tree is a good option. However, it is not always easy to know when you have crossed that line. The following are some signs that your old tree is ready to be removed soon.
There are cracks where major limbs meet the trunk
You'll see this, quite often, on trees that have not been routinely trimmed as they've aged. Trees that are not trimmed tend to develop so many branches that their limbs become overly heavy. When the tree gets older, the limbs may become weak enough that they crack where they meet the tree's trunk. These cracks can make the tree dangerous; a limb might fall off and hurt a person or building at some point. It is rare that these cracks can be repaired or healed. So, removing an old tree with big cracks in the major limbs is often the safest approach.
Whole limbs are dead
A few dead branches are no big deal. A tree trimmer can remove them and the rest of the tree will usually be fine. But when entire limbs of a tree are dead with brown or crumbling leaves, that's another matter. The tree may not have enough living tissues left to generate enough leaves to capture the sunlight it needs to stay alive. A tree care company may therefore recommend removing the tree before the whole tree dies and becomes more of a threat.
There are brackets growing from the trunk
Brackets are basically like big mushrooms. They are the fruiting bodies of fungi that can infect a tree. They do not usually appear until a tree has been infected with fungus for a long time. Trees rarely recover from a fungal infection this advanced, especially if they are already old and weak. If your tree has brackets growing from the trunk, from exposed roots, or from a major limb, then having the tree taken down is often wise. Infected trees are usually quite weak and can easily lose branches in a storm, so don't delay in having this tree removed.
Some trees can go on living for many years after they start to look old. Others need to be removed soon after reaching that age of maturity. Talk to a tree removal company if any of the above are true of your old tree. For more information on tree pruning, contact a professional near you.
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