How To Tell If A Tree Branch Is About To Break
Despite their beauty and the obvious benefits they offer to a landscape, such as shade, trees can be dangerous. Large branches can drop without warning damaging property and injuring people. If you have a mature tree in your yard, you need to monitor the branches. This is especially true before seasonal weather pattern changes that might bring storms and snow.
If you are unsure of what to look for when checking your tree's branches, use the following list to help you.
The branch seems to droop lower each year
If you have been monitoring your tree for several years, you will have noticed changes. One change that could indicate a branch is about to fall is drooping which gradually worsens with time. If the branch you are monitoring seems to droop lower each year, it may soon fall.
You can see a seam or crack where the branch meets the trunk
If you can see where the branch meets the trunk from the ground, check for a seam or crack. Seams or cracks indicate that a branch may be gradually pulling away from the trunk.
The branch moves a lot in the wind
A tree canopy sways in strong winds. This swaying naturally includes all of the branches. But if you notice one branch in particular swaying much more than the other branches, take heed. The branch may be about to fall. Heavy rain and snow can easily bring a weak branch down.
There are very few or no leaves on the branch
Dead branches don't produce leaves because those branches no longer receive nutrients from the root system. Sometimes, trees kill off their own branches. This happens when a tree isn't getting enough nutrients from the soil. Sometimes, disease or pests are to blame for dead branches.
You see mushrooms growing from the branch
A surefire sign that a branch has died or is about to die is the presence of mushrooms growing on the branch. Mushroom-like growths often grow on branches that have died. Mushrooms indicate that a branch is dead and diseased inside. Dead branches weaken gradually and in bad weather, they may fall to the ground.
Two branches are growing from the same junction
When branches grow from the same junction in the trunk, these are known by tree experts as co-dominant stems. Co-dominant stems are dangerous because the branches are competing for space as they Grow. Eventually, one of the branches may break away from the trunk and fall because the trunk cannot support two large branches growing from the same junction.
To learn more, contact a tree trimming service near you.