Trees are living biological entities. They go through the same life cycle as the rest of us. They live, absorb water and nutrients, grow and eventually die. But the slightest difference is you can actually save the trees from dying if you can detect their condition beforehand. A tree can survive for hundreds of years if it is taken care of properly and the climate is in our favor. Now that we know that trees can be saved let’s jump into it without any delay.
How to save a dying tree?
Trying to save a dying tree is more complicated than it seems. It is a process where if you jump ahead a step Or skip steps, you may not save the tree at all. So for the tree’s well-being and your efforts, you need to follow the steps deceived below.
Distinguish tree condition
As we know already, trees have almost the same life cycle as every living thing does. It gets sick and slowly, it loses its life. To save a tree, you first need to understand if the tree is dying or just sick or seasonal behavior is acting out. A dead tree and a dying or ill tree show different symptoms. Here are some indicators to keep an eye out for so that you could tell quickly if your tree is dying or not.
- Losing leaves/ dry leaves fall.
- Dried up/weak wood
- Decaying/soft spots
- Trunk damage
- Weak joints and union
- Structure deformity
- Deadwood
- Infection, Insect corrosion, or predator attack marks
- Diseases: American chestnut blight, powdery mildew, sudden oak death, Dutch elm disease, fire blight.
Appropriate water levels
When a tree is drying, It can be for two water-related reasons. Either it is for over-watering or lack of water. Over-watering is usually a natural cause like the weather change or flood or water pipe breakout etc. Overwatering causes the roots and trunks to grow all types of moss, mold and infection. So if you see the dying tree with the symptoms, you should try to control the roots’ water-logging. To control water levels, planting grass is a very effective method. Also, exposing the damp area to sunlight excessively is also a way to get it done. And if the tree is dying for lack of water, you need to water it every day more times than usual. Garden hose or automatic sprinters help with the frequent watering process without any apparent extra workload.
Use the correct fertilizer
Fertilizers provide the necessary nutrients and elements missing in the soil around the tree and help it grow. What most people do is buy all-purpose fertilizer and mulch it around the tree roots. In most cases, It does work. But if you pursue this method for your dying tree, it will kill the tree even faster. But the correct fertilizer can actually save your tree. To make sure that happens, you first need to get the soil tested and find out which nutrient is missing. Then you just need to buy the very fertilizer and apply it to your tree ground. It will help the tree to revive faster.
Remove Mulching
In popular belief, mulching is a way to protect the trees and to some extent, that is true. But In the case of a dying tree, too much mulch can turn into suffocation for the tree. It doesn’t allow the root to breathe. As a result, the already vulnerable trees start to rot around the roots and trunk. It induces the infestation of fungi, bacteria and insects. So the best chance of saving your tree is to remove all the extra mulching and let the tree breathe in the fresh air. And the tree reviving will work faster. While you are at it, do not let anything build up around the trunk, nor fertilizer, neither leaves.
Pruning the sick parts
Pruning is necessary to save trees when they are dying of infectious plant diseases. If you can stop the illness from spreading, the tree is saved already. Pruning the tree is quite challenging. Because you can Prune the parts, you can see infected. But the damage can be spread further deep. But for a starter, you should begin with pruning the branches, barks, parts of the trunk, which are visibly decreased. You can use different kinds of tools to prune. All-purpose bow saws, outdoor knives, shears are appropriate tools for pruning. It is a must to sterilize the equipment before using it. You are dealing with a tree disease that spreads, so sterilizing will help stop spreading it further. Make sure you have all the knowledge about the dying tree you are dealing with. It helps in the pruning process So that you can carefully eliminate the ill parts without any mishaps.
Consulting Tree doctor
If your tree is too far along, it is better to bring in an arborist to take a look to save the dying tree. Trees can tackle all sorts of weather and all climate change. With A bit of maintenance, you can get it back to life. It requires professional attention now. Reviving a tree is laborious and time-consuming and doing it the right way is necessary. An arborist will point you in the right direction and help you understand the tree better. A dying tree can always be brought back to life only if you can detect the signs in time and brought it to a tree doctor’s attention.
Bottom Line
So, this is how you can save a dying tree. You just need to trim off the sick bits, fertilize them and help them revive by correctly watering them. This is how most trees can be saved from dying. Some trees are different from the others and those call for special measures. But this step-by-step process is the way to start. But all of this can be avoided if you just take care of the trees properly. You just need to do some maintenance like trimming the tree regularly, Keeping the mulching Low-key, checking on water efficiency and making sure it gets plenty of sunlight. This is how you and your next generations can enjoy the joy of the same trees.