New tree diseases can crop up quickly and do a great deal of damage in a short time. If you notice that any of the trees on your property are showing signs of leaf loss or discoloration, shriveled or dropped branches, or simply a failure to thrive, it’s important to have them checked out and pruned.

Disease Management Concerns

Check other trees in your neighborhood for signs of disease as well. In some regions, it was once the practice to plant the same variety of tree throughout a single neighborhood. This led to a great vulnerability if a particularly virulent pathogen or insect attacked that type of tree.

If you have multiple trees of the same variety in your yard, a careful pruning of all of them is a good idea. A well-pruned tree is less crowded and suffers less damage from wind and storms. By protecting the inner tissue of the tree, you reduce the risk of a disease infecting it.

Maintaining Proper Balance

Taking many diseased branches off may leave the tree out of balance. Your arborist may need to start the pruning project to get a good grasp of just how much of the tree is damaged. If they find that removing all the diseased branches will leave the tree out of balance, you may have to consider a severe pruning.

The benefit of a well-balanced tree is that it can withstand strong winds and big storms, even if the ground is saturated. Once a tree has been trimmed back severely, it will grow with more vigor and develop a more open canopy over time.

Removal Options

Trees tend to put a lot of their energy into damaged and decaying branches. Once those branches are removed, you may be surprised at the speed of new growth. If you have a lot with very crowded trees, it may become necessary to remove one that is too close to the other trees, as this can speed up the transmission of disease if the trees are reinfected.

Your arborist can give you the information you need to make an informed decision. You may not be happy about taking out a tree that you were counting on for shade, but it may be the best way to protect the remaining trees in your yard from the spread of disease.

If you have trees in Kalamazoo, MI that need trimming and pruning or removal of diseased or decayed branches, contact our arborists at Five Star Professional Services for help.