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How to Determine If Old Pin Oaks Are Dead or Drought-Stressed

Scratch Test for Live Tissue in Mature Oaks

Scrape bark on reachable upper branches: green = alive, brown = dead. Work downward. If green found, prune dead wood; tree may resprout. If only low sprouts, consider replacement. Three arborists said "probably dead" but none agreed on cause—scratch test gives definitive answer.

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