London Tree Pros Guide · Tree Health
Most trees give fair warning before they fail. Here are the signs London homeowners should act on, and the problems that pruning can still fix instead.
If more than half the branches are bare in mid summer, or the tree leafs out later and thinner every year, it is in serious decline. Scattered dead branches are normal. A canopy dying back from the top down is the tree running out of reserves.
Vertical cracks, seams where the trunk is splitting, and hollow sections all mean the wood that holds the tree up is compromised. A cavity alone does not doom a tree, but a cavity plus cracks or decay at the base is a common failure pattern in storms.
Shelf like fungi (conks) growing on the trunk or roots, or mushrooms ringing the base each fall, usually mean rot is working inside the wood where you cannot see it. Internal decay is the number one hidden cause of trees falling without warning.
Trees that grew up leaning are often fine. Trees that started leaning recently, lean more after storms, or show cracked and lifting soil on the side opposite the lean may be losing their root grip. That combination deserves a prompt assessment, especially if the fall zone includes your house.
Severed roots from digging, trenching, or driveway work, soil heaving around the base, and roots visibly rotting all undermine stability. A tree can look healthy up top for a season or two after major root damage, then fail in the first big wind.
Big dead branches, sometimes called widow makers, can drop without any wind at all. If they hang over a roof, driveway, or play area, the risk is not theoretical. Sometimes removing just the hazard limbs is enough; if the whole canopy is dying, removal is the honest answer.
If you have an ash tree in the London area, check for canopy thinning from the top, small D shaped exit holes in the bark, bark splits showing S shaped tunnels, and unusual woodpecker damage. Emerald ash borer has devastated ash trees across southwestern Ontario. Infested ash dry out and become brittle fast, which makes delayed removal more dangerous and more expensive.
A good assessment will tell you honestly which camp your tree is in. Removal companies that only recommend removal are selling, not assessing.
Sometimes. A tree stressed by drought or a single bad season can bounce back with watering and pruning of deadwood. A tree with extensive trunk decay, major root damage, or more than half its canopy dead is very unlikely to recover and usually becomes more dangerous and more expensive to remove over time.
Watch for canopy thinning from the top down, D shaped exit holes about 3 to 4 mm wide in the bark, bark splitting that reveals S shaped tunnels underneath, and heavy woodpecker activity. Emerald ash borer has hit ash trees across the London area hard, and infested ash become brittle quickly, so an assessment is worth booking early.
A tree that has leaned the same way for years and grown around the lean is often stable. A new or increasing lean, especially with cracked or lifting soil on the opposite side of the lean, is a warning sign of root failure and should be assessed promptly.
Usually, yes. A living or recently dead tree is structurally stronger and safer to dismantle. A long dead tree can be too brittle to climb, which may require a crane or mechanical lift and raises the price.
If the trunk and roots are sound and the deadwood is limited to part of the canopy, proper pruning often restores the tree's health and safety. If dieback is paired with trunk decay, fungal growth at the base, or root problems, pruning only delays the inevitable.