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ARE YOUR TREES SICK?

Before the snow flies, homeowners need to play tree detective. Visible signs of possible disease, decay, or danger: Declining or dead tree tops; dead sections of bark called cankers; mushrooms at the base; broken or hanging branches, called hangers; branches wedged inside other branches or brushing up against the house; leaning branches or trunks; uneven tree canopy; hollow pockets; dead wood.

Before the snow flies, homeowners need to play tree detective.

Visible signs of possible disease, decay, or danger: Declining or dead tree tops; dead sections of bark called cankers; mushrooms at the base; broken or hanging branches, called hangers; branches wedged inside other branches or brushing up against the house; leaning branches or trunks; uneven tree canopy; hollow pockets; dead wood.

To know what's going on inside: Buy a rubber mallet at the hardware store and thump your tree trunks. This is called "sounding the tree." A hollow sound is evidence of decay.

OK, time to call in the pros: To find a certified arborist in your area, go to the website of the International Society of Arboriculture, which certifies these professionals, at www.isa-arbor.com.

To find a registered consulting arborist, go to the website of the American Society of Consulting Arborists, their certifying organization, at www.asca-consultants.org.

Both sites offer consumer tree-care information.

- Virginia A. SmithEndText