A spring inspection is two walk-rounds rather than one, because the two passes answer different questions and neither substitutes for the other. Before bud break, with the structure fully visible, look for material hung up in the canopy, fresh cracks, splits at unions, deadwood, and the overall balance of the crown — and look down as well, at the soil around the base of every large tree, because cracked or raised soil on one side means the root plate moved over winter. That is the most serious thing this walk can find and the easiest to miss under leaf litter. Once the canopy is out, look for what is actually alive: a branch with no leaves in June is dead whatever it looked like in March, and thinning that starts at the top and worsens year on year is the pattern that warrants attention.
Two passes that find different things
- 2. Look for fresh cracks, broken tops and hanging branches from outside the fall zone.
- 3. Notice lifted soil, drainage changes and construction disturbance near roots.
- 4. Check for bark damage from plows, animals and winter equipment.
- 5. Prioritize occupied targets and schedule routine pruning separately from urgent defects.
Two spring passes, two different findings
One walk-round is not enough, because the two useful passes answer different questions and neither substitutes for the other.
| Pass | When | What only this pass finds |
|---|---|---|
| Leaf-off | After snowmelt, before bud break | Hung-up material, fresh cracks, splits, crown balance, deadwood |
| Leaf-off, at the base | Same visit, looking down | Moved root plate; new fungal brackets at the collar |
| Leaf-off, ash | Same visit | Woodpecker blonding, most visible against bare branches |
| Leaf-on | Once the canopy is out | What is actually alive; dieback direction; crown density |
| Leaf-on, salt | Early summer | Marginal scorch and one-sided damage near treated roads |
| Leaf-on, rodent | Check the base under old snow line | Bark girdled over winter, often fatal despite one more leaf-out |
Photograph from the same positions each spring. Change is what matters and memory does not record it.
What to record on each walk-round
A spring walk-round finds change, and change is only visible against what was there before — which is why your own record matters.
- Anything that looks different from last year
- Soil at the base of every large tree near a structure
- Bark at the base, under where snow lay deep
- Whether any ash shows pale flecking
- Which branches have not leafed out by June
Why a ground-level look has limits
A walk-round finds what is visible from the ground. Internal decay, root condition and anything high in a large crown need someone qualified and equipped.
12 questions this raises
When in spring should I look at my trees?+
Twice, ideally. Once just after the snow goes and before leaves emerge, when the structure is fully visible and winter damage is obvious. Then again once the canopy is out, because that is when you can see which parts of the tree are actually alive. The two passes answer different questions and neither substitutes for the other.
What does the leaf-off pass find?+
Structure and damage. Broken and hanging limbs from winter storms, fresh cracks, splits at unions, deadwood, rubbing branches, and the overall balance of the crown. This is also the pass that finds material hung up in the canopy — which is the most dangerous single thing on the list and the hardest to see once leaves are out.
What does the leaf-on pass find?+
What is alive. A branch with no leaves in June is dead, whatever it looked like in March. Canopy thinning from the top down, dieback concentrated on one side, small or pale leaves, and a crown noticeably lighter than the same tree last year are all things you can only see once the tree has leafed out.
What should I look at on the ground?+
The soil where the trunk enters it, all the way round. Cracked, raised or separated soil on one side with a corresponding depression or mound on the other means the root plate moved over winter — which is the most serious thing a walk-round can find and the easiest to miss under leaf litter. Also look for new fungal brackets at the root collar.
Why does spring in particular expose root problems?+
Because saturated ground plus wind is the combination that tips trees, and Vermont's thaw provides months of it. Ground that is holding meltwater has far less holding power than the same soil in August, so a tree that stood through a windier day in summer can go over in a moderate spring blow.
What are the signs of winter salt damage?+
Burned buds and twigs concentrated on the side facing a treated road or walkway, producing a one-sided tufted look as the tree tries to compensate. Later, marginal leaf scorch in summer from salt taken up through the roots. It affects trees within the first several yards of anything treated, and species differ enormously in tolerance.
What about rodent damage over winter?+
Check the bark at the base, under any mulch or where snow lay deep. Voles and mice girdle young trees under snow cover, and a ring of chewed bark all the way round the trunk is fatal even though the tree may leaf out one more time on stored reserves. It is the main reason to keep mulch pulled back from the trunk.
Should I be looking for ash symptoms specifically?+
Yes, and spring is a good time for it. Woodpecker blonding — pale patches where bark has been flaked away — is most visible against bare branches before leaves emerge, and canopy thinning shows clearly once the tree does leaf out. On any property with mature ash near a structure this is the single most useful thing on the spring list.
What is worth photographing during the inspection?+
Anything that has changed since last year, plus the base of every large tree near a structure. Photographs from the same positions each spring make change visible in a way memory does not — a lean that has increased slightly, a crack that has opened, a crown that has thinned. Date them and keep them.
What should trigger a call rather than a note?+
Anything suspended in the canopy, a lifted or cracked root plate, a new crack running into a union or the trunk, a tree that has visibly moved, fungal brackets at the root collar, and anything within reach of a conductor. Those are not wait-and-see items. Most of the rest of the list can go on a plan for the year.
How does this fit with the rest of the year?+
Spring inspection sets the year's work list. Urgent items get dealt with straight away; structural pruning goes on the calendar for next dormant season; planting goes in soon or in autumn; treatment decisions on ash get made now rather than deferred. That sequence is what turns a walk-round into a plan instead of a worry.
Can I do this myself or do I need someone?+
Do it yourself annually, and get someone qualified when the walk-round finds something you cannot resolve, or every few years for the trees over your house regardless. The owner's advantage is that you see the tree every day and notice change; the professional's advantage is knowing what the change means. Both are worth having.
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