Birch tree - half the tree has no leaves, is it dying? Can I do anything?

[Jana]

Hello all,

I would like to ask if there is anything I can do about birch tree that looks like will be dead by next year?

We got a house with a garden last year, many beautiful huge trees - including birch. Last year the birch tree didn't have leaves in the very top of the crown. This spring it seems that the no leaves area spread and is now a bigger half of the tree. We would like to rescue this tree, help to keep it standing if there is anything we can do about it? What would be the advice regarding such tree? Leave it, cut part of it, add some good feed to it? How dangerous is it to leave a dead tree standing, hazzard of falling?

The only history we know is that the last owner, had a digger digging out about 1m of the ground near the tree about 2-3 years ago. They only interrupted less than a quarter of the land around the tree.

Possibly not visible very well on the picture, but the bottom part of the tree, maybe 2-3 levels, has new leaves sprouting. The upper half of the tree looks dry  

Thank you for your advice.

Jana

 

 

[Khriss]

Probably on its way out sadly,  they dont generally live long. Check root area for any pollutants or someone going hard with weed killer.  It might recover but all my birches have struggled with the dry summers we now seem to have  ? K

[Wonky]

My guess is root compaction from the digger,,, it’s a slow killer..

[Stubby]

3 minutes ago, Wonky said:

My guess is root compaction from the digger,,, it’s a slow killer..

This .

[Mick Dempsey]

Birch come, birch go. 
 

It’s a gonner, take it out.