| Construction Damage | caused by physical injury to trunk and crown, including split and broken branches; soil compaction of root zone; or smothering of roots with added soil | clearly mark and flag all trees to be preserved during construction | properly prune damaged branches; smooth edges of wounds |
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| damage may not become obvious for 1 to 2 years | fence off trees as far out as branches reach | soak trees once weekly by using a soaker hose or regular hose on a slow trickle for one hour |
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| trees wilt and grow poorly | do not pile soil against trunks or raise soil level over roots | aerate soil and mulch around tree |
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| tips of branches may die back | no heavy equipment or supplies travelling over or stored on roots | contact a certifed arborist |
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| evergreens may produce a large crop of cones before dying | contact a certified arborist for tree protection plan | |
| Lawnmower Damage | horizontal cuts in bark of tree | use hand tools to clip close to trunk | prevention is the best treatment |
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| repeated injuries may cause branches to die back and might kill tree | place mulch or alternative, low-maintenance ground covers around trunk for a no mow zone | carefully cut away all damaged bark and trim jagged edges of cut |
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| injuries allow diseases and pests to enter | | |
| Lightning Damage | often long scars running length of trunk to ground | for tall and/or valuable trees, have a professional install a copper lightning protector | remove damaged branches and bark |
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| some cases, only yellowing of leaves and branches dying back | | trim jagged edges of would or loose bark |
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| | | water thoroughly |
| Nitrogen Deficiency | occurs commonly on sandy soils | replace mulch around tree as needed | when symptoms arise, water with compost tea or fish emulsion and apply supplemental nitrogen fertilizer such as bloodmeal around roots |
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| lower, older leaves first become pale green to yellow; later, entire plant may become lighter | compost as necessary | spraying leaves with fish emulsion gives trees an immediate boost |
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| flowers turn yellow and drop, and fruits are stunted and woody | | |
| Iron Deficiency | youngest leaves on upper shoots are first affected, becoming light yellow to nearly white between veins | select species tolerant of alkaline soils | at first sign of yellowing leaves sprinkle compost onto surface of soil as far out as the edge of the tree canopy |
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| plants usually stunted | do not over lime or plant too close to concrete foundations | |
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| appears when soil is too alkaline or because it has been over limed | | |
| Salt Damage | salt spray blown up from passing cars can damage leaves | protect trees along roads by erecting a barrier to deflect salt spray from cars | soak entire root area of trees once weekly by using a soaker hose or regular hose on a slow trickle for one hour |
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| salt-laden melt-water can produce toxic conditions around roots | use sand or sawdust instead of salt on slippery sidewalks | |
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| symptoms include brown leaf edges, early leaf drop, shoot dieback | plant salt-tolerant species along walkways and roads | |
| Waterlogged Soil | roots die back and eventually rot as fungi and bacteria attack dying tissue | select species tolerant to waterlogged soil | improve drainage and soil conditions |
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| small leaves, stunted shoots, reduced tree growth | prior to planting, mix in compost and other organic matter to improve drainage in clay soils | |
| Lack of Water | leaves wilt, droop and turn yellow or brown | commonly occurs as a result of construction, causing root loss, or hard surface installation placed too close to tree - see ""Construction Damage"" | remove hard surface at base of tree |
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| leaves may also looked scorched, brown at tips and along leaf edges | | provide regular deep watering - twice a week |
| Winter Injury | large brown patches on leaves | plant native species, which are accutomed to our winters | prune back damaged tissue in spring |
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| branch tips or entire shoots may dieback | ensure soil is well watered in fall before cold weather | |
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| evergreens may dry out and turn brown under freezing conditions | | |
| Girdling Roots | roots grow around other roots or main stem of tree and cut off or restrict movement of water and nutrients within the tree | proper planting is most important preventative measure | contact qualified professional to remove visible girdling roots - this is best done 4-6 years after transplanting |
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| lack of flare at base of tree, reduced leaf size, early fall colour, dieback of branches | do not pile up mulch around tree trunk - mulch should be applied in a donut-shape 3""-4"" in depth | maintain plant vigour to help tree deal with this stress |
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| | ensure adequate rooting space and prevent soil compaction around tree | |
| Juglone | stunted growth, wilting or death of other trees and plants located near members of the walnut family | select Juglone-tolerant species | |
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| walnut trees produce a chemical called Juglone that affects the growth of other plants | | |
