Tree Care: Timing Is Everything
Different species of trees require unique care — be sure your pruning is done at the right time.
Pruning, when done correctly, can help your trees be healthier and reduce the chance of storm damage. Some tree species can only be pruned at certain times of the year to reduce the chances of disease transmission. Steve Bassett, Steven R. Bassett Inc.
When To Prune:
Oak and elm trees are species that should only be pruned from mid-October through mid April when they are dormant, but preferably after a hard freeze has occurred.
? In the case of oaks, prevention is the key to controlling oak wilt, which is achieved by timing the pruning properly. The beetles that spread oak wilt are attracted to fresh wounds on the tree and the possibility of infection can easily occur if pruning is done during the growing season. The oak wilt fungus produces mats under the bark of infected trees and as the beetles feed on the mats they often become carriers for the fungal spores from one tree to another. Since the beetles cannot create their own entrance points into the tree, improperly timed pruning wounds provide an entrance point for the insect feeding and disease transmission.
? Elm’s on the other hand are prone to contracting Dutch elmdisease,most common in the American and red elm varieties. Although the beetles that spread the fungus can burrow through the bark, it is still recommended that the trees are not pruned during the growing season.
Insect Or Disease
Most trees and shrubs can be at risk from insects or diseases, and the difference between the two is quite simple:
? Diseases can be caused by a virus, bacteria, or fungus. Many diseases are host specific.
? Insects harm the plant through mechanical means, or also as vectors for many different diseases. This mechanical damage is often observed as the eating of the actual plant tissue, or by boring damage that often affects the vascular flow of the plant tissues.
Timing Of Insect And Disease Treatment:
Currently, many insect and disease treatments can be done with systemic pesticides. They are either injected directly into the tree, or are injected into the soil around the base of the trees and absorbed through the root system. This allows for better distribution throughout the tree, as well as better chemical residual in the tree.
There are, however, some insect and disease controls that can only be applied through foliar spraying. Timing is crucial with some controls, as the window of opportunity may be small.
One also needs to be sure to properly identify the tree species, and the insect or disease that needs to be controlled. Indiscriminant treatments can often end up killing beneficial insects. Spraying can also affect people and animals, or leach into waterways, if it is not properly applied
“My advice is that when you have problems with your trees, it is best to contact a Certified Arborist. This will help ensure the health of your trees by using the right controls, in the correct amounts, at the appropriate times.”
When treating trees for disease, timing can be very important to getting a successful outcome.
