Question of the Week: Dead Trees

Q: How can I tell if my plant or tree is dead?

A: During the winter months it can be difficult to tell if a dormant tree is dead or alive. The easiest way to tell is to take a sharp pair of pruners and scratch the bark of the tree. If there is green underneath the layer of bark then the tree is still alive. If it is dry and brown it is dead.

Under no circumstance do you need to bend a branch to see if it is dead, it will snap, even if the tree is alive.