Question
I live in Ohio and just bought my house three years ago. I have a large tree in my back yard that was healthy looking when I bought the house. Each year, my tree seems to be dying more. Only 1/4 of my tree blooms with leaves now, and the bark is falling off of the branches that are totally dead. Last year I planted chinese elm bushes all along the perimeter of my house, and the bushes were fine last year. this year, though, the bushes directly accross from the tree in my back yard are dead. I have two large trees in my front yard that seem to be ok, with a few dead sections, but one of the dead sections is occupied with hundreds of carpenter ants. In my side yard, I have a young crab apple tree that is slowly dying, and the bark is falling off of that tree too. So my question is, why are all of my trees dying now when just three years ago they were healthy, and is it possible that the carpenter ants have something to do with it?

Answer
Alyssa,
Do you know if the previous owners had a professional tree care company taking care of the trees? Do you have one now? This could be the reason that these problems are cropping up.
Carpenter ants are a secondary problem, the trees were probably already stressed out in some way or had been wounded which allowed other diseases and insects into the trees.
I would recommend having a professional tree service look at all the plants and come up with a program that will protect the trees and shrubs.
Good luck.
Ed gulliksen