We spend a lot of time and money on our trees to enjoy their shade, beauty, and other benefits. For these reasons, losing a tree can be devastating. So when you notice a sick or dying tree on your property, you might ask yourself, “Can a half-dead tree be saved?”
At Monster Tree Service, we offer top-quality professional tree service in Atlanta. In this blog post, we’ll tell you all you need to know about saving a half-dead tree.
What Causes a Half-Dead Tree?
Some of the common reasons your tree could partially die include the following.
Root Damage
Roots can sometimes come out of the soil surface, and they won’t be able to absorb nutrients and water for the tree efficiently.
Such roots are also highly susceptible to disease, pests, and accidental damage from mowers and other tools. All these can lead to the tree dying entirely or partially.
Soil Compaction
Soil compaction, where the soil is so tightly packed that it hampers water flow to the roots, can lead to half-dead trees. You’ll often experience this problem if you have trees too close to the driveway or in the path of heavy machinery.
Wood-Boring Insects
Wood-boring insects can eat up your tree’s bark and leaves. Lack of protective skin and foliage can be stressful to the tree. It may eventually die if you don’t address the problem early enough.
Diseased Bark or Roots
When a disease attacks the bark or root of your tree, it can lead to the death of the whole or part of the tree. If you notice a disease early, you may be able to treat it. However, if the disease has progressed and the damage is severe, you might need to remove the tree.
Lightning
Trees are vulnerable to lightning strikes due to their height. When lightning strikes your tree, it often burns away the tree’s moisture or causes the tree to explode. At times, lightning may only damage parts of your tree’s trunk or branches, leaving you with a half-dead tree.
How Can You Save a Half-Dead Tree?
Can a half-dead tree be saved? You can do this with proper tree pruning, watering, and fertilization.
Even though only a small section of your tree is dead, tree care experts recommend pruning 30% of the entire plant. This way, the tree can supply water and nutrients to a limited area and recover quickly.
Water the tree every evening for about two weeks and then stop. You can resume if the tree seems to need more water. Talk to an experienced arborist for the best fertilizer to restore your tree’s health.
Trust Your Local Tree Experts for Help
Can a half-dead tree be saved? If you still need help with this, Monster Tree Service is the go-to local arborist in Atlanta. We provide a wide range of services, including:
Tree removal
Tree trimming and pruning
Consulting arborist services
Contact us at (770) 872-6759 for a free estimate in Atlanta, GA, today. We’ll also give you some valuable seasonal tree care instructions!