Palm trees are one of the most decorative and unique trees that you'll find in the warmer, more tropical climates. When properly cared for, these trees can be beautiful and full of foliage. However, knowing how to care for them isn't always easy. That's probably why you're here. If it is, then you're in the right place. This site is dedicated to the care and maintenance of all sorts of trees, including tropical varieties like palm trees. The information on this page can help you to understand which of the basic care steps you can do yourself and which steps are best done by a local tree service.
Same Peterson
Not all fatal tree damage is obvious. Root damage progresses silently underground, out of sight, and often unnoticed until it's too late. There are challenges to removing a root-damaged tree, which means it's a job best left to professionals.
Signs of Root Damage
The earliest signs of root damage are easy to overlook. The tree may at first seem to put on new growth slower, and the foliage may begin to wilt and decline. Depending on the extent of initial damage, the tree may not decline any further for a season or longer. Eventually, the loss of roots will become severe enough that the crown doesn't recover and extensive leaf loss occurs.
Mushrooms and fungus may begin growing on the trunk, or you may notice mushrooms sprouting up from the soil around the base of the tree. Bark loss can occur as the tree begins to die. The tree might also develop a lean as the anchoring roots fail, or the soil may become churned up around the tree due to tree movement during high winds.
Removal Risks
Although there is no question that a tree with a dying root system needs to be removed before it falls, the removal process itself will also come with some risks. The poor anchoring of the roots can make it difficult to safely access the tree since it poses an immediate fall danger. This is most problematic for tall trees that are typically climbed during removal.
It can also be harder to predict which way the tree will fall, since the roots may give way at any moment once the removal process begins. Buildings, power lines, and other obstacles that lay in a possible fall path can be at risk during the removal.
Safety Techniques
Fortunately, tree removal services have a few tactics they can use to safely remove a tree with a declining root system. If the tree is tall and the root loss is severe, then the service may temporarily anchor the tree to minimize the chance of movement. Instead of sending climbers into the tree to remove limbs prior to removal, cranes and bucket trucks may be brought in so most of the work can be done without climbing.
Cranes, cables, and pulley systems may also be used to prevent the tree trunk from falling in the wrong direction. The trunk will be cut down in sections, beginning at the top, with each section attached to a cable and carefully lowered to the ground. These techniques don't mitigate all risks, but they do greatly reduce the hazards.
Contact a tree removal service in your area for more help with your declining tree.