Now we are firmly in the grip of fall, it’s a good time of year to get out and start taking a look at the trees in your garden. Now the summer foliage is coming away, you should be able to see whether or not your trees are healthy and robust enough to last through what could be a blustery winter.
There’s disease to look out for, root checking, and all kinds of other health issues that could spell trouble – but there are some other things to watch out for, too.
Here are a few common tree problems that could start ruining your garden – and perhaps even your home.
The neighbours
You might love the trees that form a border around your garden. But do your neighbours feel the same? Trees are often the root – excuse the pun – of neighbourly disputes. It might be because your trees are blocking natural light, or perhaps even the roots are growing through and starting to push a wall or fence down.
It could be just that they are causing a general nuisance, overhanging and blocking a pathway. Whatever the problem, don’t let it ruin the neighbourly atmosphere. Any trees on your borders need to be looked after properly, and always check with your neighbours to ensure they aren’t causing any issues.
Disease
Trees are subject to plenty of diseases, just like us humans and if your favourite tree does get seriously ill, you might have to consider a quick shopping trip to check out the best chainsaw brands.
Tree disease spreads relatively quickly, and if you can’t cure the problem – with Verticillium wilt, for example – then you’ll need to move fast and get rid of it – including the stump. Also, make sure you don’t leave it lying in the garden, and never put it in your compost – the disease will spread.
Insects
Insect infestations can cause severe damage to your trees, and it’s often the case we don’t even realise there’s a problem until it’s too late.
Use the fall period to have a good check of every tree in the garden, or by next summer you could be facing a tree in feeble health, and a lot of nasty insects.
Subsidence
When you are [amazon_textlink asin=’B0043Y6ISM’ text=’clearing the fall leaves’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’mygardening411-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’c1d27740-aa0a-11e7-abe5-2d731dc5298e’] from your garden, look out for any root damage. A lot of people forget just how deep and wide roots can grow, and any trees near your house could be causing you unseen problems.
While most roots are relatively shallow, if there is any blockage in the soil, they could end up deep underground, and if your locality enjoys clay soil, it could even push against the foundations of your home. This can cause cracks to appear, and eventually, you might suffer from subsidence problems.
Drainage
Finally, be aware that tree roots can also get into your drainage system. If your pipes have suffered any damage over the years, roots can grow into them, which is obviously going to result in drainage issues.
Unfortunately, the only way to tell if problems are happening deep underground is by checking your drainage on a regular basis.
