The reason we wrote this article in particular is because during the winter, all trees have a barren, almost – deathly appearance. They almost appear to have no life. There are a lack of leaves, foliage, and color to them. Therefore it’s difficult to tell whether you need a dead tree removed from your property before it becomes bait for insects or hazardous due to a potential fall. Don’t worry, there are age-old techniques that are industry-known on how to tell whether a tree has died or not. One of the first things you should do is get up close, and personal with your tree and search for leaf buds. Even in the wintertime, you should be able to see these, which should be ready to sprout during spring.
A lack of buds in addition to dry, shriveled up branches should immediately give you a red flag for TROUBLE. Check out the bark on the outside of the tree. Has any new bark grown? Trees regularly grow bark, if no more is being generated, you may have an issue. Finally, we would perform “The Scratch Test.” We’ll take a pocketknife or set of keys and scratch into the surface beneath the bark. A healthy tree should have a moist, greenish texture and color. If you see that it’s dry and brown, the tree almost certainly may be dead. Never decide to just cut a tree down without consulting an expert tree care company. There are just too many factors involved. Besides, if you love your tree, there may be a way to save it!