You may have seen that some of your trees don’t have a total amount of leaves on them, with some trees having leaves just on one side. This can not only be troublesome for you regarding shielding out the sun, but it’s also not very visually pleasing either. To know how to deal with a tree that does not have leaves on all sides, it’s first necessary to realize why this is the case.
Signs of a Dying Tree
This is not usually the case, but a tree with leaves only on one side is a huge indication of a tree that is dying. Other signs include:
- Decaying or weak roots
- Short or non-growing twigs
- Leaves that have fall colors in the summertime
- Branches that are little or are rotting in the upper tree canopy in May and June
The Reasons for Sparse Leaves
Half-dead Juniper in winter
Your tree might not be dying. There are many other reasons for a tree having imbalanced leaf growth. The possible causes of having leaves on one side are:
Harsh weather
With severe weather, if the weather is frigid, it can freeze the soil, meaning that the tree won’t be able to take in water and nutrients. Also, cold, harsh winds can damage a tree. A tree that is undernourished is way more vulnerable to pests and diseases.
Girdling roots
This is when roots wrap around the tree’s trunk resulting in a decrease in the number of nutrients and water. The result is a tree that is undernourished. An undernourished tree won’t have full leaf growth.
Solutions
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this issue because it depends on what is making your tree only have leaves on one side. But one remedy might be to make sure that you regularly water, fertilize, and prune your trees. These are significant actions to take for a healthy tree. Another, perhaps more sensible, solution, is to get in touch with a tree specialist for a tree inspection. This individual comes to your property and assesses your tree and outdoor space to diagnose the main causes and the right course of action to take.
