Bare branches reveal what a full summer canopy hides, which makes the weeks after leaf drop the easiest time to check a tree's health.
Start by looking up. Branches with no buds, peeling bark, or brittle twigs are likely dead. Watch for cracks running along the trunk or at the base of large limbs, and for cavities where branches have broken off in the past.
Then look down. Mushrooms or shelf-like conks growing on the trunk or roots often signal internal decay. Soil heaving on one side of the tree, or a new lean that wasn't there before, can point to root problems.
Any of these signs on a tree near a home, driveway, or play area in Girard or the surrounding Mahoning Valley deserves a professional assessment before winter storms arrive. Catching a problem now is almost always safer and less costly than dealing with a failure in January.
#TreeInspection #GirardOH #MahoningValley #TreeSafety #HomeownerTips
A close-up photo of a shelf fungus or trunk crack on a leafless tree from a local job. A Canva checklist graphic (look up, look down) would also suit this educational post.
Canva text suggestion: "Look Up, Then Look Down" or "What Bare Branches Tell You"