Cracked Copses: 5 Potential Causes of a Cracked Tree in Edmonton
In the plains of Northern Alberta, you’ll find the city of Edmonton. Though Edmonton is known for its summers, bursting with lush plant life in ravines and the city alike, its real claim to fame is its cold weather and winter festivals. And since all Edmontonians are used to heavy snow and ice, they know the challenges that come with it. Sometimes that snow makes its appearance a little earlier than expected. When it does, you may find tree branches littering the streets, taking on too much weight before they’ve had a chance to shed their autumn leaves. When you have a cracked tree due to snow or other causes, you can depend on our Edmonton arborist at Trusty Tree Services.
Our team of professional arborists is ready to get to the bottom of the issues behind your cracked or broken tree. Because we have years of experience in the industry and have the skill set to handle any type of tree care you’re in need of, including handling a cracked tree, there’s no arborist better suited to serve the residents of Edmonton than Trusty Tree! With our unparalleled commitment to our customers, you simply can’t go wrong. In this blog, we’ll explore the common causes behind a cracked tree, so you can prevent the issue in the future.
5 Common Causes Behind a Broken or Cracked Tree
There can be a multitude of culprits at risk when you have a cracked tree on your hands. Luckily, our arborists have put together a detailed list of possible culprits behind your broken tree issues. If you’d like to learn more about how to get your cracked tree taken care of ASAP, read on.
1. Frost Cracks
Frost crack damage is a common issue for northern, winter-heavy locations. Frost-cracked trees develop as a result of rapid fluctuations in temperature. When temperatures drop at night, for example, and then rise during the day, it causes rapid expansion and contraction of moisture, resulting in frost cracking and sunscald. Though these vertical cracks in your tree trunk may heal in the summer, they can reopen again in winter, and the issue can start all over again. If cracked tree issues aren’t taken care of right away, they can become entry points for wood decay.
2. Snow Weight
In Alberta, snow can sometimes make its appearance before the trees are ready for it. Trees shed leaves so they’re able to bear the weight of falling snow, but if those leaves haven’t had a chance to shed yet, it can be too much for the tree, causing the branches to break and giving you a cracked tree. This can become an incredibly dangerous issue, as broken tree branches may fall into city streets and cause accidents.
3. Irrigation Changes
With temperatures changing globally, you may find your trees are subject to long periods of drought. When this happens, tree bark will become brittle and make it more prone to dryness. These dry periods can sometimes be followed up with wet weather. Since the tree is so thirsty, it will absorb a lot of water and go through a growth spurt. This high water pressure and new tissue presence will push against the bark, giving you a cracked tree.
4. Sunburn
Just as your broken tree can become prone to cracking in the winter months, it may equally be afflicted by excessive heat in dry summer. Cracked trees that have been recently pruned are especially susceptible to sunburn, especially on the south and southwestern sides.
5. Fertilization
When you fertilize trees late in the season, it will confuse your trees’ growth. Fertilizing the tree in the summer or fall will cause the tree to think it should be growing rather than settling into dormancy. Late-season fertilization does not give the tree enough time to harden its bark before winter, making it more vulnerable to frost cracking and sunscald, and before you know it, you have a cracked tree on your hands.
The good news is that you don’t have to watch your cracked tree deteriorate due to broken tree cracks when you have professional arborists you can trust just around the corner.
Mend That Broken Tree with Trusty Tree Services—We Are the Qualified Arborists You Can Trust with Your Cracked Tree!
Now that you know the culprits behind your cracked tree issues, you’ll need to know the number of a tree care company that can help brace and cable a cracked tree efficiently and safely. Simply call 780-860-5500 to speak to one of our consummate professionals and book service for your cracked tree. We’re standing by and ready to help get your broken tree back to its prime!
However, our offerings extend well beyond just services for your cracked tree! We’re also proud to provide services for tree removal, tree pruning, tree trimming, tree fertilizing, stump grinding and more to our local communities of Edmonton, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Fort Saskatchewan, St. Albert, Beaumont and Leduc. Say goodbye to broken trees and hello to restored vitality for your leafy friends.
As a family-owned and operated business, we pride ourselves on offering professional services to our local community members. We do this by following the correct tree work procedures and provincial by-laws and by following all possible safety measures to ensure a job well and safely done. Because we have 25+ years of experience in our industry, there’s simply no one better than the job. And since we’re locals, we know Edmonton like the back of our hand, anticipating the needs of our clients and going above and beyond to ensure they’re taken care of expertly.
Need more convincing as to why we’re Edmonton’s #1 choice for tree care services, including mending cracked trees? Check out these 5-star reviews and see how we’ve already helped Edmontonians just like you mend their broken trees! Contact us today!