Disease Management
Plant health care is important when it comes to trees, because it extends the tree’s life and reduces tree maintenance costs. There are several cultural management practices homeowners can do to contribute to their tree’s health. Some of these include watering trees during periods of drought, having them pruned to maintain good structure, having trees mulched properly, and sometimes it means hiring an ISA Certified Arborist to help with the insect and disease management.
Trees are capable of being infected by microbes that can cause disease. Most tree diseases are caused by fungi, but diseases may also be caused by bacteria (fireblight, wetwood and slime flux), phytoplasmas (ash yellows, elm yellows, clover leaf proliferation), viruses (island necrosis of hackberry), and parasitic plants (mistletoe). Some diseases can be immediately life-threatening, while others can gradually decrease the tree’s health. In either case having it properly diagnosed and having a management plan in place is the best way to ensure that your tree will live as long as possible.
Most people recognize when their trees are sick because “they just don’t look quite right.” These symptoms may include: early leaf drop; black, yellow or brown spots on the leaves; the edges of the leaves turning brown like they’re dying; strange tufted branch growth on the stem or at the base of the tree; leaves that droop and do not perk up after watering; and whole branches dying. These are just a few of the possible symptoms a sick tree may express. A good plant disease diagnosis and management plan should include both cultural and chemical applications. Often combining the two is the best management plan.
Healthy trees typically need less maintenance than stressed trees. Maintaining a healthy tree can be as simple as watering and mulching, but sometimes it’s necessary to consult a plant health care specialist to best manage your plant’s health. The ISA Certified Arborists at Arborworks, LLC combined have 24 years of experience in the tree industry and are qualified to diagnose and identify any of your plant health care needs as well as develop an integrated management plan for your landscape.