When Is It Time For A Tree Removal Service? | Fort Worth, TX
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Trees beautiful landscape and provide shaded areas in and around Fort Worth, TX. Unfortunately, trees in North Texas are susceptible to a wide variety of diseases, many of which are common. Knowing a little about the tree diseases prevalent in your area may help you decide if you need a tree removal service. At the very least, if you spot any warning signs, you’ll know it’s time to call a professional arborist to investigate trees on your property.
Some of the most common diseases that may lead to a tree removal service are:
- Oak Wilt
- Hypoxylon Canker
- Bacterial Leaf Scorch
- Root Rot
The Dangers of Oak Wilt
Oak wilt is a disease that has affected many trees in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and many counties throughout north and central Texas. Oak wilt can manifest in any area where live oaks are predominant. Sadly, it doesn’t matter how old the tree is, whether it was transplanted, grown naturally, or even if it’s been in overall good health for most of its lifespan. All live oaks are susceptible to this disease.
Typically, oak trees in Texas fall into one of two groups: red oaks or white oaks. Red oak is more susceptible to oak wilt than a white oak tree, and it will typically die within a couple of weeks of presenting its first symptoms of ill health. Once dead, you’ll need a professional arborist to discard the infected tree safely. Common red oak species that may require a tree removal service include the Blackjack oak, Spanish oak, and Shumard oak.
White oak trees are more resistant, with some species, such as the Mexican white oak and the Post oak, being quite resilient. If these trees are infected, you might see canopy loss but won’t always see trees dying from the disease. Other white oaks, such as the Lacey oak, grow in interconnected stands, which can easily lead to infections of nearby trees. While Lacey oaks and some other interconnected tree species are resilient, if they do die from oak wilt, you’ll see them die in higher numbers or lose quite a lot of their canopies.
Live oaks are possibly the most abundant species in Texas, and they succumb to oak wilt in the highest numbers. Less than 20% of infected live oaks will survive exposure to the disease, as they often share common roots and can infect other trees up to 200ft away. As such, oak wilt in live oaks can result in severe losses of trees over a widespread area.
To combat oak wilt, an arborist can do two things. The first method is to stop the infection from spreading further through the root system by severing roots. A tree removal service that creates 4ft trenches and tears up roots with ripper bars, rock saws, or other machinery is the typical choice. The second, less effective method is to use a fungicide treatment. Fungicides are more commonly successful as a preventative measure as there is only a limited success rate during the early stages of oak wilt infection.
Other Common Tree Diseases
Another fungus that attacks trees is the hypoxylon canker. It’s a fungus that takes advantage of any trees that are already under extreme stress. Once a tree is infected, there’s no cure. If you don’t maintain trees regularly through droughts, for example, they’ll become stressed and more susceptible. As there’s no cure, trees infected with hypoxylon canker can quite easily become candidates for a tree removal service.
While keeping trees fed with water is essential, overwatering can also have a negative effect. Overwatering can result in tree roots rotting as fungus growth is encouraged in waterlogged areas. Fungal diseases, such as cotton root rot, easily take hold in areas with high summer temperatures.
Fungal infections are not the only illness that can result in tree removal specialist callouts. Leaf scorch, spread by insects, is an infection caused by bacteria. Leaves will die, but branches may die too. Tree deaths caused by leaf scorch typically occur during the summer when it is hot and dry.
Signs That Your Tree Is Dead
There are several things to look for if you want to work out if your tree is dead and requires a tree removal service. If you peel back the bark off twigs and see it’s either yellow or brown underneath, this is a sign that it’s either dead or in trouble. A healthy tree should be green underneath its twig bark. You might see mushrooms growing at the base and chipped, peeling, or cracked bark along the trunk. The trunk might also have exposed cavities, dead hanging branches in the canopy, or twigs without buds on at the end of its branches.
If you spot these symptoms, it’s time to call a tree removal service! Alternatively, if you’re unsure of the level of decay, it’s possible to request a tree risk assessment from a trained arborist who can catalog the tree’s health and advise if tree removal is the way forward.
Safety Concerns About Dead Trees
Some dead tree signs are subtle, and you might not know if the tree in your yard is a safety risk. All dead trees are a risk because their structure is inherently weak. Even if you don’t see broken branches or a leaning trunk, it can easily lose branches or come down during a winter storm. If the cause of tree death was a disease, there’s a risk that the infection can still spread to nearby trees once all the resources within the tree deplete.
Booking Tree Removal
If you think you need a tree removal service in Fort Worth, TX, call S&P Tree Service. We take a holistic approach to tree care in DFW, and our highly skilled staff are available 24/7 to respond to emergencies. Contact one of our licensed, bonded, and insured arborists for a free estimate and competitive quote. We’ll help you decide when it’s the right time for a tree removal service, just contact us today!