Tree problems in your yard
- Do you have a dead or leaning tree in your yard?
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- Learn to identify hazard trees.
- Contact a certified arborist to inspect your tree
- Do you have an elm tree with Dutch elm disease or an oak tree with oak wilt?
- Visit the city’s Shade Tree Disease Control Program page or call public works at 952.988.8400 to request an inspection of your property.
- Does your spruce/maple/birch/etc. tree look sick?
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- Make sure you are watering your trees when we do not get enough rain. Mature trees need to be watered just as much as newly planted trees.
- Consider contacting a certified arborist to assess the health of your trees.
- Visit the University of Minnesota Extension page What’s Wrong With My Plant?.
- The University of Minnesota’s Plant Disease Clinic will test your plant and tree samples for a variety diseases for a fee.
- Is something ‘bugging’ your tree? / Are there bugs on your trees/plants?
- Perhaps you’ve noticed insects in your yard or home and are curious about whether or not they are harmful to your landscape. Learn more about common insect pests, including resources that might help.
- What should I do if I have a problem with neighbor’s tree?
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Be neighborly. Talk to your neighbor and explain what you can see from your property. Their sightline view may not be the same, or it might be in a part of their yard they do not use frequently. Ask your neighbor to mitigate the risk the tree poses to your property. Take a photo of the tree and write your observations in a letter to your neighbor, and keep a copy for yourself. Consider having a certified arborist look at the tree to evaluate the risk. If a conflict arises, consider using a mediation service to work through the conflict with your neighbor.
To learn more about trees and the law, read about Minnesota Trees and the Law online, in the 2004 MN Shade Tree Advocate article “Boundary Trees and the Law“ or the 2002 Bench & Bar’s “In the Shade of a Tree: Analyzing the Tree Related Legal Problem.” Learn more about hazard trees.
