At the current time, hiring a tree surgeon is an expensive luxury because their craft and skill is in huge demand. After all a lack of supply and increased demand makes the cost more to bear.

Plenty of people will take an interest in nursing their own trees so they can save a little money, however, where do they begin?

We decided to ask staff at www.treecontractorsdirectory.co.uk and their gurus have offered us some sage advice:

Animals use trees for shelter and for food, so it is important to note whether animals and birds are showing an interest in nesting there as if they aren't that can suggest that there is something wrong. You can work this out because if animals aren't keen to live there then it isn't offering enough food or shelter, which may mean that they are not growing properly. Summer is particularly a good time to take notice of any changes as it is the time when animals aren't in hibernation and could be seen the trees. So if you notice that there is not a lot of wildlife in your trees, something could be amiss.

Branches and bark that are flaking off can be caused by a selection of factors, some are trivial whereas others should be taken more seriously. Dry branches may be caused by a heat wave with excessive sun and minimal rain. In which case, you should water the tree several times throughout the day until the bark is smoother. The dry texture could also be a result of a deficiency in the correct nutrition, meaning that you will have to monitor and maintain the ideal soil PH levels, perhaps even needing to add fertilizer. Do your best to watch the tree's status over the period of a few weeks and see if you can spot any betterment.

If you are lucky enough to have fruit trees or an orchard in your garden then if they fail to grow any fruit then this can show there is a problem. This is because trees usually flower and bear fruit once a year, so if the tree doesn't then it might be unhealthy. A change in the balance of PH levels in the soil could cause obvious problems or if the roots don't have enough access to nutrients. Alternatively it could be due to a lack of water, which is easily alleviated with a couple of regular splashes of water from the can. Whatever the cause, this sign is something to look out for.

White or sand-like soil may indicate that the soil is not of a high enough standard to provide nutrition to the tree. Changing the water, soil or fertilizer could be the next step. A further thing that you could do is add some worms to the grass as they can help to improve the quality of the soil. However, in these circumstances it advised that you talk to a specialist with a history of successful projects. Otherwise, a tree surgery expert from www.treecontractorsdirectory.co.uk could be able to guide you down the best route.

Should your tree begin to lose its leaves it will not be healthy enough to take in energy via photosynthesis, as the leaves are where this activity occurs. As a result, this very easy to notice symptom can be a real problem to your tree and if not addressed will make matters worse for the tree as it ultimately restricts its energy supply. This can dry out the branches on the tree and cause them to become brittle and break. If you notice this symptom and any of the other ones in this article then it will be clear that you will need to figure out some form of treatment plan. Depending on how long you leave it, the solution could be minor or quite extensive.

Ideally, by following this advice you will have the knowledge about if you can look after the tree or whether you will need the expertise of a knowledgeable tree surgeon.