When Tree Removal is Necessary

When too many branches have been lopped due to inexperience

A tree lopper is an affordable service, but one that can potentially do serious damage to a tree in the long term. Tree loppers remove stray branches without giving any care or attention to how this will affect the growth or balance of a tree. While correcting the damage done by a lopper can be a long and costly process, it’s usually achievable with the proper regimen of care and pruning.

However, if a tree lopper has caused significant damage to the tree’s stability and health, it will become more vulnerable to infections and disease. Over time, a trained arborist may deem the tree beyond saving and need to remove it.

The roots are becoming invasive

While a tree might look fine on the surface, the roots may be growing wildly out of control underneath. The unfortunate truth is that some of the trees in our gardens are not well suited to planting in urban environments and need to be allowed more room to grow than they can be afforded. As such, roots can start to make it harder for other plants in your garden to compete for water and nutrients in your soil. You may notice that your lawn isn’t growing as thick and luscious as it should or other plants and flowers, fruit or vegetables look lethargic despite perfect growing conditions.

Worse still, roots can encroach on your water and power cables and even your home’s foundations. What’s more, a tree’s roots can grow over a span of up to four times that of your tree’s crown. Thus, roots can also encroach on your neighbors’ homes and gardens.

In these circumstances, the most cost-effective action to take is to remove the tree and grind the stump and any shallow roots to prevent further damage. Then the roots beneath the ground will eventually die and decompose over time.

The tree has become diseased or infected

It’s very unfortunate when one of your trees falls victim to an infection like root rot, anthracnose, oak wilt, or cypress cankers. These infections can be managed by an arborist in some cases, but there may be instances where there is no choice but to remove the tree.

As well as infections from spores and fungi, tree owners must also be conscious of insect life which can be damaging to trees. The emerald ash borer, for example, poses a very real threat to all vegetation in your garden. When they are detected, unfortunately, the only viable solution is to remove the tree altogether to protect the rest of the garden.

Proper pruning, care, and attention from an arborist can prevent the likelihood of infection. When removing a tree, it’s important to also consider the fact that stumps can also be prone to infection, as well as being a potential trip hazard. With that in mind, you may want to consider stump grinding to ensure the safety and aesthetic beauty of your garden.

Dangerously tall or top-heavy trees

Those with tall trees may often worry about their stability, especially when they seem to sway in strong winds. When a tree grows too tall or the crown grows too dense the tree can become top-heavy. Not only can this make them less stable, it can also block the light coming into your garden, preventing your lawn and other plants from getting the sunlight they need for photosynthesis.

While tree removal is rarely necessary under these circumstances, it may be a more cost-effective option that allows homeowners greater peace of mind.

Never-ending leaf litter

Some trees shed more leaves than others. And while most gardeners are happy to pop out with a rake or leaf blower from time to time, if leaves are constantly littering your garden or clogging your gutters, the intervention of an arborist may be necessary to prevent the risk of damage to your plumbing and hot water systems (and protect your lower back from the effects of all that raking).

Directional pruning can help reduce the impact of leaf litter on your home and garden while installing gutter guards can resolve issues caused by leaf build-up in your gutters. However, there are some trees with smaller leaves – such as Poincianas – which can be very difficult to manage and tree removal may be the only remedy for near-constant leaf litter.
The importance of regular inspection
While tree removal can prevent a lot of serious problems for your home and garden, it should be considered a last resort. Regular inspection of your trees from a qualified and certified arborist can help ensure that your trees stay in perfect health and the risk of needing to remove them is minimised.

LRB Tree Services are qualified and registered arborists, providing a comprehensive range of tree care solutions. If you need help or advice, get in touch with us today on 0428 803 364.