Winter is a good time to inspect your trees

You may think late fall and winter is a bad time to have your trees inspected by a professional, but it can be beneficial.  With all the leaves gone, our trained arborists can better see the structure and condition of your trees.

Leaves can mask problems, such as cracks, splits or decay cavities in the trunk or branches.  With all the foliage gone, it’s easier to examine a tree and we are still able to spot dead or declining parts.

We look for many things, including missing buds, old fruiting bodies (mushrooms), cracking bark and swollen branch collars.  The spacing between nodes of growth is noted as shortened or stunted twigs is an indicator of stress and reduced growth in prior years.

If there are concerns, we may recommend coming back for a follow-up inspection in the spring or summer as the condition of the leaves might provide more insight.

In addition, we look for trees and/or branches that may be more prone to breaking in high winds and heavy snow/rainstorms.  Identifying weak parts of the tree gives us an opportunity to prune the tree and/or branches so damage can hopefully be avoided.

Spring, summer and early fall are usually busy times of the year for tree companies while winter months are slower so it’s easier to schedule appointments.

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