If you consider yourself a green thumb, you’re likely going to have a good time planting trees. However, one of the things that may or may not be distressing for even the most experienced of gardeners are the existence of garden insects. After all, not all of them are good or bad for your garden. Not identifying them properly, though, can spell danger for your garden. What exactly are tree pests, though, and how to know if a tree is dangerous in your backyard?
Tree Pests: Critters That Aren’t So Friendly
One of the most concerning sights one might encounter in terms of taking care of trees are the sights of insects. This is especially when you consider that these pests may very well cause the death of your beloved trees. However, before you immediately call institutions like Bellarine Trees, it’s helping you make an accurate assessment of pests first with these few tips:
- Try to find pest-resistant varieties of plants: If you have a particular breed of plant that you like that’s attractive for insects, it’s likely that groups have bred a resistant variety. Try to get those plants instead. Try to choose more robust and vigorous breeds so your plants end up more protected against pests in a natural way.
- Try to find the best spot to plant your trees: Trees have a preferred soil type, space, temperature, sunlight, and moisture. Try to assess these qualities carefully and avoid planting in wrong locations with bad conditions, as these can make the plants attractive for pests, insects, and diseases.
- Try to encourage diversity among trees: Don’t just plant a single type of tree on a single patch of land, but rather try to include shrubs and plants that are resistant to pests.
Tree Safety: Looking Out For Dangerous Spots
It’s important to remember that not all insects on trees are good, nor are everything you can see are bad for your plants. It’s important to have even a beginning understanding on how to identify dangerous pests in your backyard, of which you can learn below.
- Are there damaged, broken, or hanging limbs? One of the most obvious and visible signs of tree hazards would be the existence of damaged or hanging limbs. However, sometimes damages to these parts of trees aren’t always obvious, and it might take professionals a closer look to assess the damage these parts of the trees could do.
- Are your trees having dead limbs? Aside from hanging or damaged limbs, dead limbs can pose grave threats to your garden as they might fall on people. The scary fact is that dead limbs can actually be attached to trees for years, with decay continuously spreading to other healthy tissues in the tree. This can make the situation much worse and dangerous
- Are there changes in the bark? If you can see “ingrown” tissues in the bark, or situations where two or more stems actually come closer together, be on the lookout as these tend to form a “V” looking formation. Over time, this can actually increase the chances of your tree being broken or split in half. Part of the reason this happens is improper pruning, which can then lead to weakening, damaging, or decaying areas of the tree.
- Are there leaning trees? Leaning trees may not necessarily immediately fall, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less dangerous. Has this tree been leaning for a long time, or was this a new change? Professionals can make better assessments the more they know about the situation of a leaning tree, as its position can affect the safety of the other plants and people around it.
- Is there root damage? Unfortunately, given that roots are far below ground, seeing this isn’t the easiest thing. However, if you see that the tree is wilting or if it can’t take moisture, then your tree might be suffering from root damage. Try to be on the lookout for limited growth, dead branches, and undersized leaves.
- Are there trees with poor structure? Trees in forests compete for sunlight, and as such can grow without many branches. Without competition, though, trees tend to have a wide crown with many lower branches. However, if there are a lot of branches in question, the tree’s structural integrity might weaken and even cause it to eventually break down.
The Bottomline: Knowing Is Caring For Trees, Pests, Gardening
Taking care of trees is serious business, and tree pests can be just as detrimental to their growth as unstable weather patterns or lack of nutrition. Knowing how tree pests work and how trees can eventually become dangerous in the backyard is an essential step towards being more cautious and careful with your approach towards gardening. Much as the hobby can be fun and relaxing, approaching it with both a thoughtful and a relaxed perspective can make your gardening journey both a calculated one and a meditative one.
