Getting the diagnosis right matters more than people realize. Most tree diseases can be controlled if you catch them in time, but a few can’t, and treating a tree for the wrong problem wastes time it may not have. Our arborists are trained to identify what’s affecting your tree before recommending anything.
The right treatment depends on the problem we’re solving:
- Spraying. Many leaf and needle diseases, along with a number of insect pests, are treated with a spray applied to the tree, timed to the point in the season when it will do the most good.
- Trunk injection. For emerald ash borer, oak wilt, two lined chestnut borer and Dutch elm, we inject treatment directly into the trunk so the tree carries it where it’s needed.
- Soil treatment. Some treatments work best applied to the soil around the roots.
- Deep Root Fertilization. Trees in a yard don’t get the same nutrients they would in the woods. Leaves get raked up, and the lawn competes for nutrients. Fertilizing returns what they’re missing and helps them resist disease and pests.
Sometimes the fix isn’t a product at all. Pruning or a change in watering habits can take the pressure off a tree that’s just stressed. We’ll walk you through the option that fits your tree and your situation.
Emerald ash borer, oak wilt, and Dutch elm disease are all active threats in the St. Croix River Valley right now. Emerald ash borer spreads mainly through moved firewood, over long distances. From late May to September adult female borers fly from tree to tree laying eggs. Oak wilt spreads through root grafts and fresh wounds during warmer months, which is part of why pruning timing matters so much, and Dutch elm disease moves between neighboring elms through root grafts as well as bark beetles. All three are manageable if you catch them early and treat them on the right timeline.
Treatment plans are written out and walked through with you, and we follow up on treated trees so you know whether it worked.
