Trees are an essential part of life – responsible for creating peaceful, aesthetically pleasing environments and being responsible for producing two of life’s essentials: food and oxygen. Trees contribute to their environment by improving air quality, providing us with oxygen, preserving soil, supporting wildlife, and much more. But when a tree dies, all of that contribution withers away. So how do you know if a tree is dead? It’s not complicated if you know what to look for.

First off, you want to make sure you know whether the tree is dormant or actually dying. Seasons like winter and fall aren’t very conducive to tree growth and it may make the tree appear to be dead when it is actually just dormant. These dormant trees may also have bumps along the stump or along limbs that are the beginnings of new branches being formed. If these are present, then your tree is still very much alive.

To tell if it’s dying, look for the initial signs that may indicate severe stress. Look for changes such as differences in leaf color, leaves dropping prematurely, brown dull-looking leaves with brown stems, etc. Another easy way to tell is to try breaking off a branch. An alive tree branch will resist the force of someone trying to break a branch, whereas a dead or dying tree branch will be more brittle and easy to break.

Even if all the leaves are gone, that doesn’t necessarily mean your tree is dead. It could just be part of the tree’s cycle. If you aren’t sure whether your tree is dead or not, it may be a good idea to wait and see if the leaves come back by spring. Make sure to continue watering and fertilizing the tree to give it a chance to rejuvenate, and if they aren’t back by the time they are supposed to be back, it may be time to dispose of the tree and plant a new one.

If you need help determining whether your tree is dead, or if you need help removing the tree trunk and stump, consider using TalkLocal to find a tree removal specialist for you. TalkLocal is a free service that will connect you with top-quality, tree removal companies in your neighborhood within minutes. Just enter in your specific problem, location and availability, and up to three companies will call YOU directly, saving you the time and stress of finding one yourself.

This entry was originally posted on Wednesday, December 19th, 2012 at 4:00 pm and is filed under Tree Removal. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.