How to Spot a Dying Tree After Winter in Omaha
The arrival of spring in Nebraska is sporadic and never a guarantee. One minute, the sun is out, and the next, a late frost reminds you that winter is far from ready to give up the reins. Trees suffer a pounding from cold, ice, and heavy snow for months, and when the ground does thaw, a few of them might not bounce back like you expect them to—learning how to tell the difference between a tree that is slow in springing back to life and how to spot a dying after winter dormancy. Knowing this can save you from property damage from a falling tree or disease spreading to the rest of your yard.
How to Spot a Dying Tree After Winter in Omaha
Bare Branches After Spring Starts
As soon as the nearby trees become clothed in their springtime foliage, any that stay bare start to stand out. Some tree species bud more slowly than others, but a dead or dying tree won’t show signs of new life popping up.
If you have one lagging behind the others, it could be a sign of poor tree health. Or the tree is dead or dying. A suitable method for checking out the health of suspect trees is:
- Bend little twigs: When they snap cleanly and don’t bend, chances are that the branch is dead.
- Do a scratch test: Using your fingernail, scratch the tree bark. The tree is alive if the wood is green but dry, brittle-looking wood is dead.
Peeling Bark and Deep Cracks
Severely cold Nebraska winters cause the tree bark to dry out, and peeling is normal. However, large brittle patches that fall away or deep vertical cracks in the tree trunk or branches spell trouble. Wood that is discolored and dry behind the loose bark is likely dead.
These conditions weaken the tree, making it more susceptible to damage from pests and disease. Looking around the tree trunk gives you a more comprehensive view of the tree’s health. Look for cracks or dents that might be signs of cankers or other diseases.
Weak or Drooping Branches
Wind, snow, and ice can destroy branches, leaving trees and shrubs broken and susceptible to drops by spring. Weak branches look healthy initially but hang more than they should. When a tree drops branches, it’s in decline.
A light pressure test is effective—healthy tree branches don’t give way, but dead ones snap readily. Track which branches don’t produce buds as the season passes to help you identify which branches need trimming.
Mushrooms and Fungal Growth
Mushrooms growing around the base or along the trunk of a tree are a bad omen of ill health. Mushrooms love decayed wood, so this may indicate the tree might be rotted from the center. Some fungi infect dead material on the surface, but others warn of deep internal damage.
Press the affected area; if the wood beneath feels soft and breaks up under your fingers, the wood is dead. You’ll need to take the tree down before it presents a serious safety risk in your yard.
If the tree is dying, leaving it allows the pathogen to spread, infecting other nearby trees and killing them too.
What to Do After You Spot a Dying Tree After Winter
Call a local arborist if you’re having trouble identifying if your trees are healthy or in decline. A professional can visit your yard, do an inspection, and assess your trees. These professionals have years of experience in tree care and can identify sick and dying trees.
You can often salvage individual dead tree branches in a tree by trimming and maintenance. When damage is widespread, having a local arborist assess the risk is the most advisable.
Spring storms in Omaha can be intense, and dead branches and compromised trees can become dangerous hazards in your yard. Early response to the problem keeps your yard safe when the winds arrive. Contact your local tree service company for tree removal or maintenance and avoid potential risks.
Omaha Tree Service
Before you decide to remove a tree yourself, consider consulting with a local Omaha tree removal service. These experts can provide a safe, efficient, and legally compliant solution to your tree problems, ensuring your property and safety are protected. At Omaha Tree, our mission is to provide tree care services & mulch products that improve the HEALTH, BEAUTY, & SAFETY of our customers’ trees. We recycle all of our wood waste material from the trees we trim and remove in the greater Omaha metro area. The wood waste material is brought back to our 8-acre site at 3606 McKinley Street, where it is processed into a beautiful & consistent mulch product that is local, fresh, and clean. Contact a certified arborist today.
