How Tree Services Can Treat 4 Common Diseases

Professional tree services can help you save your garden from diseases that will destroy your plant-life. There are hundreds of potential threats from insects to fungus. Some diseases can be successfully treated through chemical injections and pruning, while others can only be prevented. Before you chop it down, however, consider calling the professionals to the rescue.

Chestnut Blight
This disease is the vegetation equivalent to smallpox. It decimated the once plentiful American chestnut to near extinction in the 1900's. If you live in on the East coast, however, you may be fortunate enough to have one in your backyard. In order to keep it thriving and help strengthen the dwindling population, be on the lookout for the symptoms of blight such as orange or brown stains that appear on the bark and then develop into indented cankers. Chemical injections by professional tree services may be able to help control the disease.

Dutch Elm Disease
The Dutch elm is another plant that has faced near extinction due to a devastating infection that attacked in the 1920's. Several non-native beetles were introduced to America via overseas wood shipments. These insects burrow into a variety of elm trees, most often ones that are already suffering from fungal disease making invasion easier, and eventually destroy them by depositing the fungus. The typical signs are yellowing and dead leaves that occur at the very top months before autumn. The disease will continue all the way to the roots. Chemical injections are the best and most popular solution for preventing infestation.

Heart Rot
Besides a very unpleasant name, heart rot can attack any hardwood trees and can be a hazardous problem. While trees can continue to grow around the destroyed tissue, the structure is greatly weakened. The rot makes branches more susceptible to breakage, which can crash on top of a home or harm someone, especially if the local climate has rough weather such as high winds. Symptoms are visible fungus caps and mushrooms protruding from the trunk. Treatment for the disease is tricky, but clever pruning to remove dead wood and promote healthy growth is crucial. Ensuring the bark remains in good condition by providing plenty of adequate nutrients and minimizing any cankers or other damage is also helpful in stopping the problem from spreading.

Oak Wilt
While it may not sound as imposing as heart rot, oak wilt is a much deadlier disease that quickly destroys trees. Infection occurs when the spore enters the host either through an insect carrier or by root grafts. Within six months, the infected plant expires completely, and any nearby oaks run a great risk of contracting the disease. Signs are simply leaf wilting and shedding. The disease will first be visible at the top, turning the leaves brown in a progression towards the bottom of the trunk. While it can't be cured, oak wilt can be prevented. Tree services will help seal wounds and prune carefully for best results. If one of your trees is infected, it is important to act quickly to prevent it from spreading.