Ask Dr. Phipps: Tree Troubles

By Phipps Master Gardeners

Have a question about your perennials, houseplants or turf grass? Worried about pests in the garden, hydrangeas that won't bloom, or tomatoes that died on the vine? Dr. Phipps can help! Ask Dr. Phipps is a free service provided by Phipps Master Gardeners. Contact us with your questions and you may be featured in an upcoming blog post!

Some weeks we receive similar questions.Here are three questions about trees, all having the same answer!

Q: I have a pine tree — I don’t know what kind it is — but it looks brown and drab; the needles are falling off at the bottom, but the top has new growth. What should I do?

Q: I have an apple tree that has brown leaves that are dropping. I can’t see any obvious signs of trouble such as bugs or disease.

Q: I have a large tree that a neighbor is concerned about. I would like to contact a tree expert to help me know whether the tree is a possible problem or not. Is it healthy? What are the chances that it will become a problem down the line, ie. falling on my neighbor’s property? What should I do? 

A: Trees represent a large investment in costs, can live for many years, and can cause significant damage if branches break and fall. Unfortunately, Phipps does not consult on private property trees. For these reasons, we recommend contacting certified arborists to help with all tree concerns. All of the questions above have the same answer: find a certified arborist in your area!

This website will allow you to locate an arborist in your area.  Search by “City” and “State” to find an arborist near you.  The results will show the name of arborists, their contact information, and their zip codes. Use this zip code map to see which zip is closest to where you live. 

For more information about hiring an arborist, see what our friends at Tree Pittsburgh have to say. For more information about trees, visit their website.