Why Does My Tree Look Bad?

You may not notice right away, but sometimes trees can start to slowly decline in appearance and performance. One week they can look great, and the following month they look as though something is not quite right. If you have found yourself in a similar dilemma, continue reading to learn what might be wrong with your landscaping trees.

Water Distribution

The first question you want to ask yourself involves the amount of water your tree is getting. Is it getting too much? Is it not getting enough? Both of these scenarios will causes adverse changes in your landscaping trees. Trees require deep watering, especially in hotter temperatures. Strive toward saturating the ground with water, starting at the trunk and finishing at the outer perimeter of the tree’s dripline. This should suffice until the tree roots are dry again.

Pest and Insect Control

Once you have addressed any water management issues, it is time to ask yourself about pest and insect control for your trees. Beetles, borers, mites, wildlife, and even tree diseases can quickly affect the health of a tree in the worst way. For instance, leaf-eating insects inhibit the tree’s ability to carry on the process of photosynthesis, thus rendering the tree sick and weak. It requires a professional arborist to positively identify, diagnose, and treat insect infestations and tree diseases.

Nutrients

Trees don’t just thrive on water and sunlight alone. They also require a sufficient amount of nutrients, or tree food, for optimal growth and survival. Trees source their nutrients from the surrounding and underlying soil. Which means poor or inadequate soil conditions can cause adverse changes in a tree. If you suspect that your tree is suffering from a lack of nutrients, try fertilizing it to regain its strength and stability.

Additional Causes Include:

• Too much mulching
• Improper species-to-site location
• Invasive sprinkler systems
• Inclement environmental conditions
• Overgrown grass around trunk
• And more