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[Back to services] Disease & Insect Control
 Most tree problems caused by disease or insects can be avoided. Each tree has
defined stages of maturity and each stage has specific needs that must be met to
ensure healthy development. Common to all stages is the necessity to avoid
damaging the trees life support system: the roots, the branches, the leaves and
the bark. A tree that is in good health obviously has a better chance of
surviving the ravages of certain insects or diseases than one with weakened life
support systems.
It is our belief at Preservation Tree Services that prevention of injury and
disease is vital to ensuring your trees survival into a healthy old age.
Over-watering is one of the most common forms of injury to trees. Over-watering
is never intentional. Most of us dont know the proper frequency and amount of
water required by each species. Sometimes over-watering is done in a passive
fashionby lack of proper drainage. When the soil around the root system fails
to dry, rotting of the roots can occur. This damage weakens the tree, and allows
opportunistic diseases to attack and sometimes kill the tree. As we work with
you, we will teach you the correct method of watering your trees. We may also
recommend correcting poor drainage conditions that allow a tree to sit in soggy
soil.
A lack of variety of different tree species in an area contributes to the spread
of diseases. Many established urban forests were devastated because only a
limited number of species were planted, allowing species-specific diseases an
easy means of proliferation. Experience shows it is healthier for trees to be
planted among a variety of other tree species just as occurs in nature. By
preventing potential problems, it is also more economical.
Trees provide a home for a variety of insects. Most are harmless. Some are just
unsightly. Some are beneficial. There are, however, certain insects whose
presence should be cause for alarm and immediate response. Carpenter ants and
termites, for example, are indications of dead wood under the bark. They arent
causing the damage, rather they are there because the damage is already present.
They are an outward sign that something is wrong with the health of the tree.
Some insects like the Dutch Elm beetle cause damage by introducing disease.
Others, like the Tent Caterpillar, can eat all of the foliage on a tree. Borers
cause damage to the bark and capillary systems of the tree, leaving a sap-oozing
opening where other insects can invade.
Parasites for trees arent just limited to insect life. Some parasites are also
plants themselves. Fungus growth on a tree, especially at the base, might be
cause for concern. A tree that has mushroom -like growths around its base may be
in serious trouble. Mistletoe is another common plant parasite in our area. It
depletes the trees nutrients, thereby causing stress on the tree, a condition
that threatens the overall health of the tree.
Injury caused by bark feeding insects is one of the most common ways disease
enters a tree. Oak Wilt is an especially insidious disease that is easily
transmitted and can kill a tree in a single growing season. It affects mostly
Live and Red Oaks. Caused by the spores of a fungus, it is carried from tree to
tree by small beetles that feed on that fungus. It can also be introduced to a
healthy tree by using non-sterilized tools that were previously used on an
infected tree. A rapid yellowing of the outer leaves near the top in mid-late
spring is an indicator of this disease. The yellowing will spread throughout the
entire canopy, with the tree quickly dropping its leaves. Diagnosis by a tree
pathologist is critical as successful treatment depends on early diagnosis of
all infected trees within an area. It does little good to treat only one tree.
Because Oak Wilt is so opportunistic, Preservation Tree Services will not prune
Live or Red Oaks from the end of February until the beginning of June, when
beetle activity is at its highest. A good arborist will prune with as little
damage as possible. The spread of Oak Wilt disease is minimized by the pruning
technician using a special mixture to seal wounds and by sterilizing the tools
with alcohol before moving on to the next tree. To stay abreast of the latest
research, Preservation Tree arborists complete continuing education courses to
be designated as Texas Oak Wilt Certified.
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