Continue reading “Why are all of these bugs bugging my trees?”
Tag: arboriculture
5 Important Facts: Control of Emerald Ash Borer
If Emerald Ash Borer has been confirmed in your area, as is the case with St. Louis and St. Charles Counties, your first step is to decide whether or not your tree is worth treating to prevent infestation. I will put together a post on what goes into this decision in the near future. Today, let’s assume that you have determined (with expert advice, I hope) that your tree is too valuable to you to remove and you would like to have it treated. Here are 5 important facts to consider, regarding the treatment of Emerald Ash Borer:
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There are options available for do-it-yourself, homeowner treatment.
Imidacloprid is the most common insecticide available to homeowners. It is typically applied as a soil drench. Be sure to read up on regulations that specify how much Imidacloprid can be applied over the course of the year. These treatments are an option for those who want to make a minimal financial investment. However, it should be noted that Ohio State University and Michigan State University trails have shown that Imidacloprid soil drenches give inconsistent results.
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All hope is NOT lost! There are effective, preventative treatments.
The most common treatment a professional will use is emamectin benzoate (TREE-äge™). This treatment is performed by trunk injections, starting in May or June. Studies in both Michigan and Ohio have shown that even at a low application rate, injections of emamectin benzoate have proven to be greater than 99% effective.
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Treatment is typically less expensive than removal.
A single emamectin benzoate treatment provides consistent protection from EAB for a period of 2 years. Removal costs, particularly in larger trees, are typically much higher than treatment costs. This does not take into account the benefits of keeping a healthy Ash tree with several years of useful life (property value, shade, erosion control, etc.)
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If your tree is showing 50% or more canopy decline (thinning or die-back), it is too late.
Waiting until your tree is infested is not a great option for most homeowners. A proactive approach is vital, especially if EAB has been identified within 15 miles of your home. Emerald Ash Borer can be present in a tree long before symptoms begin to appear. Oftentimes, when a homeowner notices that there is a problem, it is too late.
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If you live in Missouri, you are under quarantine!
Emerald Ash Borer is here. It is everyone’s job to try to prevent it’s spread. The USDA has placed a quarantine on infested areas and there are fines in place to prevent potentially infested ash trees, logs or hardwood firewood from moving out of areas where EAB occurs. Visit http://www.emeraldashborer.info/ for more information.
That’s all, for now! Thank you for stopping by.
Don’t let this be your neighborhood:
Ozark Witch Hazel – Some last looks at our flowering winter companion.
I took a trip to KAT Nurseries today to take a look at the latest delivery of trees. Many trees have started to show their flowers; Red and Silver Maple, Elm and Cornelian Cherry Dogwood. One plant, however, has had its blooms for a good part of winter…
Allow me to introduce The Ozark Witch Hazel.
Ozark Witch Hazel, Hamamelis vernalis, is a deciduous small tree/large shrub that can grow to approximately 10′ tall. It’s valued because of its flowers, which are often present when no other plants in the landscape are blooming. While not overly showy, the 4-petaled flowers are very fragrant. They come in a variety of colors, including red, yellow, orange and pink. This native plant is the perfect companion to carry us through the last few weeks of winter and offers a great preview of the colors and scents we associate with spring.
A few pointers for those of you who may want to add this plant to your landscape.
- Flowers January to March in St. Louis
- Best blooms come in full sun, but will do well in partial shade.
- Does best in moist, well-drained soil.
- Prune in spring, once flowers are gone to control size.
Thank you to KAT Nursery for allowing us to tour the property today and for being a valued resource for Ryan Lawn and Tree.
How to identify an Ash Tree.
With Emerald Ash Borer looming, every homeowner in the St. Louis area has some fact gathering to do.
- Do you have an Ash?
- Is the Ash worth keeping?
- Has your Ash already been infested with EAB?
- What are your options for treatment or removal?
Ash Identification
As promised, today I am going to help you determine whether or not you have an Ash tree on your property. Luckily for us, the Emerald Ash Borer has decided to attack a tree that is very unique and easy to identify. Just remember two important features and you are well on your way: Opposite Branching and Compound Leaves.
Opposite Branching
Let’s start with opposite branching. In Ash trees, branches grow “opposite” each other. The buds on smaller branches and twigs will be directly opposite of each other, as well. Keep in mind that you will need to look throughout the canopy of the tree. Sometimes, the tree may lose a limb or bud on one side or the other, so not every branch will have its “mate”. I took the picture, below, at the Overland Park Arboretum. With the leaves missing, the opposite branching really stands out.
Compound Leaves
Once you have identified that your tree has opposite branching, you have narrowed it down to a handful of options. Maple, Ash, Dogwood and Horsechestnut (or Buckeye) are the only trees that have this feature. Looking at the leaves will help determine if your tree is an Ash or one of these other species of tree.
Ash have compound leaves. A compound leaf has multiple “leaflets” all coming from one stem base (petiole). Ash have between 5-9 leaflets per leaf.
If you look at the image to the left, you will see 2 leaves (notice how they are growing opposite each other). Each leaf has one petiole and 7 leaflets. The leaflets in this picture are finely serrated or toothed, but some Ash may have smooth leaves.
Other Identifying Characteristics
By now, you can be fairly certain whether you have an Ash tree. However, here are a couple more tell-tale signs.
On the left, you can see an Ash with “Ash Flower Gall”. Ash flower galls are the brown or green clusters you see hanging from the branches on this tree. These galls are the tree’s reaction to a mite that feeds on the Ash’s flowers. The galls do not harm the tree and are a purely aesthetic issue. They are easy to spot, once all of the leaves fall off of the Ash.
The right image shows the diamond-plate-like pattern on the bark of a more mature Ash tree. I wouldn’t use this as the primary identifier, but if you have a tree with opposite branching, but don’t know what type of leaves it has, this can be a good clue.
If you still aren’t certain, it never hurts to contact an arborist to identify a tree for you. We are glad to help!
So, you have an Ash…
If you have an Ash, it may be time to start considering how you plan to address the emergence of Emerald Ash Borer. This means you will need to take into account the health, location, value and expense of maintaining your tree. Consulting with an arborist is recommended to help you go over your options and to get an idea of the cost of treatment or removal.
Hope this helps! Until next time!
4 Steps to Take to Make Sure You Aren’t Making a Tree Care Mistake
Recently, we sold our home in Phoenix, Arizona. Part of this process involves getting a home inspection. Our inspection came back showing termite damage. The inspector included pictures of the damage and recommended a several hundred dollar treatment to kill the termites and to prevent future infestations. Fortunately, I knew this damage to be water damage. We ordered a second inspection, which came back showing no termites.
I don’t think that there was malicious intent on the part of the first inspector. People make mistakes. However, this was a great example of how being informed and getting a second opinion when something doesn’t seem right can save you quite a bit of unnecessary expense.
The same can be very true when working with a tree service company. Your risk of getting taken advantage of or being the victim of human error can be greatly mitigated by taking a few steps to make sure you are making the right decision regarding tree pruning, removal, diagnosis or treatment.
1. Hire a reputable company or arborist that you trust.
Take the time to research the tree service companies or arborists that you are getting quotes from. Make sure that the company you are hiring has the proper insurance (liability and workers compensation) to perform tree pruning and removal. If they will be applying insecticides, herbicides or fungicides, make sure they are licensed to do so. Any reputable company should be able to provide you with the documentation required to perform these services. Verify any claimed credentials. The most commonly used credential is “ISA Certified Arborist”. Luckily, this can be easily checked here:
2. Check the reviews.
Online review sites, such as Yelp! and Angie’s List can helpful, but shouldn’t be the only piece of information on which you base your decision. Whether it be to a companies advantage or detriment, online reviews don’t always paint the whole picture. Obviously, recommendations from friends and neighbors are always a plus.
3. Ask lots of questions.
Once you have selected a company to work with, you can give yourself further peace of mind by making sure that you are well informed about any recommended services or diagnoses. A good arborist will take the time to make sure that you are completely comfortable before asking you to pay for their services. One of the best parts of my job is educating people about their trees. If pruning is being done, make sure you understand what is going to be pruned and why. You only get one chance to properly prune a tree. Improper pruning can cause permanent damage.
4. Do your own research.
Lastly, it never hurts to do some basic research to verify the information you are given. I am not an advocate for doing a diagnosis or assessment yourself that is better left to a professional. (Like many others, I have made the mistake of going on a medical website and convincing myself that I had some deadly ailment, only to be told be a doctor that I was fine.) However, there are some companies out there that, whether intentionally or not, will give you false information. For example:
This client was told that her tree had sooty canker (correct) and was sold a $180 soil injection treatment to “cure” the sooty canker (absolutely false). A quick google search would have instantly told the client that sooty canker is not a treatable fungal infection. Pruning out the infected limbs can work early on, but in the case of this tree, would have been a waste of money. Luckily, this client got a second opinion and we were able to inform them of their options. The $180 treatment would have been money down the drain.
Cases like this, where a client is purposefully mislead by an arborist are not common, especially if you have already done steps 1-3 on this list. However, it is always a good idea to approach any major expense or decision with a bit of healthy skepticism. A good arborist would be glad to share references or information with you that supports his or her conclusions.
The tree care industry is full of highly professional, passionate people who take their jobs seriously. It is the duty of every legitimate arborist and homeowner to hold tree care service companies accountable to the highest standards. This means supporting the companies with a track record of honesty and quality work and making it known when you come across a company that is willing to mislead its clients for a quick buck. Hopefully, you find the steps in this article useful and you will have peace of mind the next time you hire someone to work on your trees.
Upcoming article: EAB Series #2: How to Identify Ash Trees
It’s Here! Emerald Ash Borer
Emerald Ash Borer is a beetle from Eastern Asia that has made its way to the United States and has already devastated the Ash po
pulations of many cities. This pest has been found in St. Louis and, if you have an Ash tree, you WILL be impacted. You may remember the Ash trees being removed from the Arch Grounds a few years ago. Preventative treatments, early interventions and removal are the only options available to anyone who owns an Ash tree.
I am often asked: How serious is this problem? Emerald Ash Borer, once it has infested your tree, has a 99.9% kill rate when left untreated. Many people still remember Dutch Elm Disease and all of the Elm trees that succumbed to it. Dutch Elm Disease killed 200 million Elm trees in the United States. Emerald Ash Borer has the potential to kill 7.5 billion Ash trees. Imagine hundreds of dead Ash trees in your neighborhood and the cost involved in removing all of these trees.This is not a problem that anyone can afford to ignore.
In the upcoming days, stop by for more information on:
- How you can tell if you have an Ash on your property.
- How to identify Emerald Ash Borer.
- Prevention and treatment options for Emerald Ash Borer.
sebastian the arborist 