Is Your Tree Sick? or Have Insect Problems?

You love your trees. They provide shade, beauty and character to your home. The last thing you want is to cut down a treasured tree. But a sick tree can be a danger to both your house and your family.

Do you have a Sick Tree?
Keep an eye on your trees’ health, try to inspect your trees around your property for signs of damage or disease at least once a season, or every 3 months. Just because your tree appears healthy, doesn’t necessarily mean it is.

Take a closer look! Trees can display thick and lush green leaves while harboring an illness.

What are the signs of a sick tree?

Wilted or Discolored Leaves
It may be a subtle change in color, like a lighter shade of green appearing, or it might be noticeable yellowing or browning of the leaves’ edges, but a change in coloration or texture of the leaves or needles are signs of an ailing tree.

Also, keep a watch on the growth and density of the tree’s leaves. Uneven growth patterns may be caused by storm damage, improper pruning over the years, or it could be a sign of another condition.

Mildew, Fungi & Mushrooms
Trees often decay from the inside out, so it can be hard to see the signs of decay from the beginning. A good indicator of decay is the presence or growth of fungi like mushrooms. Mildew usually appears as white or gray powdery substance on the tree’s trunk and leaves. Although mildew normally will not kill a tree, it can cause the tree’s future growth to be mangled and stunt its ability to recover during harsh weather.

Tree Insects
If you see any creepy crawly insects on the tree’s trunk, branches, or leaves, then there should be cause for alarm. Please read the section above about the signs of tree insects.

Abnormal Growths, Wounds & Sap
Damage can be done to a tree by Mother Nature herself or at the hands of man, but in either case, abnormal growths and wounds should be monitored closely. Watch out for cracks, cankers, and holes. Cankers are lesions on the branches and trunk of the tree, often circular or oval, with a sunken center and raised edges. Deep splits through the bark are also signs of possible tree failure. Be on the lookout for sap seepage, whether from a wound or other area of the tree. Sap seepage can be an indication of a bacterial infection within the tree, or damage being done by insects or birds.

Dead Wood
Branches and wood that are lifeless and dry are called dead wood. Because they break easily, these dead branches can be dangerous to people and property. These dead wood branches have been given the nickname “widow makers” for a reason. Being brittle, these branches can easily snap in the wind and fall, causing damage to whomever or whatever might be below.

Depending on the severity of the tree’s condition, there are normally two options: nurse the tree back to health, or make arrangements to have it removed. While are a number of treatments available to nurse your beloved tree back to health, only experts like the crew at Georgia Lawn and Tree Solutions can provide you with the best solution to your tree problems. Call GLTS today for tree removal and treatment services to meet your needs and your budget!

How do you keep your trees healthy?
It’s important to remember that planting a tree in the proper place is key to its survival. Healthy trees are much less likely to encounter problems with disease, insects, or illness.

Trimming & Pruning off the dead or affected area's of your trees can help to control the spread of the infection to the rest of the tree or other trees until properly treated.

Remember to gather and destroy all leaves and infected material trimmed from the tree, or else your efforts may be in vain. Do not use infected material for compost piles or mulch!

Even if the tree can be saved, it’s important to prune dead, diseased or damaged branches promptly. Not only can diseased branches cause further problems with the tree, a large falling branch can cause considerable damage.

Disinfect your pruning and trimming tools after use on a sick tree. A simple wash with bleach water can save a tree owner future headaches. By doing this, a tree owner can protect against the spread of the disease to other trees.

If you are unsure of what to do about your sick or unhealthy tree in Savannah, or surrounding Georgia areas, contact Georgia Lawn & Tree Solutions today!

​What are signs of tree insects?
Even if you don’t see the insects themselves, look for signs that they may be there, including holes borrowed in the tree, loose bark, damaged foliage, or sawdust like material around the tree.

Now, don’t get us wrong, some tree insects are beneficial, assisting in pollination and population control of other insect species, but there are some that can be destructive. Once insects have been found in a tree, the next step is to identify what kind they are.

Insects can generally be divided into three categories based on the method by which they feed:

Sucking Tree Insects
As the name implies, these insects suck the liquid from leaves and the tree itself. A common type of sucking insect are called “scales.” They actually live on the outside of a branch or leaf and form a protective shell or coating to protect themselves while they feed on the tree’s juices. Watch out for scaly formations on branches, dying discolored and droopy leaves, and sticky excretions on the tree. Other common suckers are aphids, leaf-hoppers, and spider mites. As one can imagine, a big problem with these insects is that they virtually drain the tree of nutrients.

Chewing Tree Insects
These are probably one of the most commonly recognized culprits of tree destruction, including such insects as tent caterpillars, cankerworms, gypsy moths, and Japanese beetles. Most trees can regain their health and continue to grow with proper treatment, but repeated infestations can weaken a tree and eventually cause its destruction. Because these insects feast upon the leaves, flowers, roots, and twigs of the tree, their presence is pretty easy to detect. Simply look for leaves that appear to have uneven breaking, holes, bite marks, or leaves that appear skeleton like.

Boring Tree Insects
Probably some of the sneakier of the creepy crawly critters are the boring insects. Depending on the species, most tunnel into trees through the roots, stems, trunk, or limbs. Here they lay eggs which hatch into worm like larvae. Before leaving the tree, the larvae bore deeper beneath the bark and continue feeding, becoming fat and happy. They can end up starving the tree of nutrients and moisture. Look out for holes in the bark which are entry and exit holes, small mounds of sawdust near branch bases and the tree’s base, and of course wilting or dying branches. 

Early detection helps to prevent irreversible damage. Solutions and treatments are not always “one size fits all.” To properly treat and correct the tree’s condition a number of factors come into play including the species of the tree involved, the severity of the problem, and the wishes and budget of the property owner.

With Georgia Lawn and Tree Solutions on the job, you can be confident that your tree is cared for with the most appropriate method by some of the best professionals in the Savannah area! So if you’ve got a tree insect problem that’s bugging you in Savannah or surrounding Georgia areas like Pooler or Rincon. Give us a call at: 888-420-5605

If you do have a sick tree and want it removed, call a reputable insured company like Georgia Lawn and Tree Solutions offering custom tree services that match your needs and budget. If you love your sick tree and want to know if it can be saved, GLTS can still help. We have the technology and expertise to determine if your tree can be nursed back to health, or if it has to go.

We are fully licensed and insured with experienced staff. All of our tree work is guaranteed; customer satisfaction has been the foundation of our success. If you have trees that are sick or getting hurting by insects or other plants, our professionals will solve your problems with fair and reasonable rates.

Fact point: Many trees that have been examined after a tree accident; was found & determined that the tree was dying but appeared healthy because of the flourishing leaves however many of the trees broke at the trunk. If you suspect that one of your trees is sick or damaged, check to see if it displays any of the following indicators of a tree in trouble:

Tree Insect Problems?
Surprisingly, one of the biggest enemies a tree has is one of the smallest organisms around. The creepy crawly insects and bugs that may be an annoyance to us are a huge threat to our beloved trees. Tree insects carry a large number of illnesses, disease pathogens, and bacteria which can seriously harm and even kill trees. Because they are so small and discrete, an infestation can exist for quite a while before being noticed, and sometimes by then it can be too late to save the tree.

SavannahGaTreeService.com

(912) 662-8278

When you schedule an appointment, our team arrives in a timely manner and makes sure to thoroughly explain everything we’re doing. During your inspection, our staff will check the overall health of the trees, look for signs of pest and disease infestations, identify any structural tree problems, and determine any soil requirements. Based on the information we find, we will make recommendations for any treatments required.