Does the scratch test actually work?
My tree looks dead but I've done a scratch test and it is still green so should I carry on watering it?
Asked by: Sandra from Orpington, 07-Jul-2024
We often get asked about the so-called "scratch test". It is a popular - but useless - way to check if a tree is dead or alive.
The idea is that you scrape off a bit of bark and if it is green underneath the tree is still alive. However a tree that died after planting will still show green for the rest of the season. In practice the tree will need to be dead for at least a year before the scratch test will correctly show it is dead.
We urge customers not to rely on the scratch test but instead to contact us promptly whenever they think something is not right with a tree, especially a newly planted tree. Over the spring and summer the appearance of the leaves is a far more reliable way to determine the health of a tree. If a tree does not have leaves in the summer then it is dead, regardless of what the scratch test says.