All species of trees are vulnerable to diseases and pest infestations that can cause serious damage.  Once a disease or pest infestation takes hold, you must act fast because it becomes more difficult to save the tree the longer you hold off treatment.  Most tree diseases and pest infestations can result in extensive damage and even death and this can happen very quickly.  If you notice any signs of a tree disease or pest infestation, make sure you call a tree care service provider immediately.  Professional arborists can provide tree treatment services to treat and prevent diseases and common tree pests.  They are trained and experienced to make an accurate diagnosis and come up with a solution to resolve the issue.

Treatment for Tree Diseases

There are many fungal and bacterial tree diseases that can quickly damage and kill a tree if the problem is not addressed right away.  Diseases such as Dutch elm disease and oak wilt can heavily damage and even kill a tree while fire blight and apple scab can attack and kill the fruit of a tree.  Depending on the disease, the symptoms can be seen on the leaves, branches, fruit, or trunk of the trees.  It is important to look for the following symptoms of tree diseases:

• Yellowing, wilting, or dying leaves
• Dark spots or powdery substance on leaves
• Sores (cankers) on the trunk or branches
• Fungal growth on the trunk or branches
• Weak, broken, or dying branches

A trained arborist can identify the tree disease by the symptoms and form a solution to treat the disease if possible.  If the disease is too severe, the only option may be to remove the tree.

Tree Pest Control

There are many different insects that attack different types of trees and these pests can drastically affect the health and stability of the tree.  Certain tree species are more vulnerable to attacks from specific insects, such as ash trees and the destructive emerald ash borer, and certain insects are more active in specific geographic areas.

Tree pests often effect trees in one of two ways; they either feed on the foliage or burrow inside the tree and feed on the inner wood.  Foliage eating insects will cause damage to the leaves and eventual defoliation while burrowing insects will disrupt the flow of water and nutrients and kill the trees from the inside.  The main signs of foliage attacking insects include yellowing, wilting, and skeletonization of the leaves as well as premature falling.  You can identify burrowing insects from loose outer bark, exit holes, and tunnels bored into the inner bark.

A professional arborist can correctly identify the pest infestation after evaluating the symptoms and create an effective treatment plan.  They will work to eliminate the pests with one of the following methods:

• Bark spray
• Soil injection
• Canopy spray
• Trunk injection

Tree Maintenance

Because of the destructive nature of tree pests and diseases, the best action you can take is preventative action.  Trees that are healthy and strong can naturally defend against insects and diseases, and it takes proper preventative care and maintenance to keep them healthy.  The following maintenance should be done to help prevent insect infestations and diseases:

• Preventative disease and insect treatments: Arborists can provide preventative treatments to help prevent diseases and infestations from insects that are common in your area.
• Tree trimming: Proper trimming to remove diseased or infested branches will prevent the problem from spreading.
• Tree fertilization: Fertilization applications will provide your trees with the nutrients they need to grow strong and fight of diseases and pests.
• Damage treatment: If your trees are damaged in storm, they are more vulnerable to diseases and insect infestations. Have a professional arborist address the damage right away.

It does not take long for trees affected by insects and diseases to experience major damage.  Make sure you regularly check for signs of a disease or infestation and call a tree care specialist at the first sign.  These professional arborists will diagnose the problem and form a plan to restore the health of your trees.