Do your yard and trees need Dutch Elm Disease treatment?
Dutch Elm Disease is a devastating, and often deadly, fungal infestation affecting all varieties of elm trees, including the American Elm. Dutch Elm Disease can affect other non-elm trees as well, but this is not common. With this post we will try to provide answers to the most common questions people ask about Dutch Elm Disease.
The Dutch Elm disease Basics
Dutch Elm Disease damages the water-conducting cells of the tree. The tree’s natural response to the damage caused by the invasive fungus, paradoxically, intensifies the damage to the water-conducting cells. In the earliest stages of an infestation, the damage is taking place deep inside the tree where it can’t be seen by the casual observer. The first outwardly visible signs of the disease will not appear until the internal damage is severe enough to restrict the flow of water and nutrients to portions of the tree. Be on the lookout for the first hint of any of these early symptoms.
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Browning/Wilting Leaves
The restriction of water and nutrients will cause the leaves on affected sections of the tree to wilt and curl inward. The leaves will turn from green to yellow, and finally brown before falling from the tree. If your elm tree is displaying patches of yellow or brown leaves it may be a sign of Dutch Elm Disease.
Dead Branches
After the leaves wilt and fall, the branches will begin to die as well. A tree with sparse patches where branches are no longer producing leaves, or branches have died and fallen from the tree, should be analyzed for Dutch Elm Disease.
Dark Streaks Within Branches
The browning of leaves and dying off of branches are symptoms that are common to many different tree ailments. Dark streaks on the inner portion of the tree branch, beneath the bark, is a more accurate and definitive sign that your tree’s condition is the result of Dutch Elm Disease. You will have to remove the bark to check for the presence of dark streaks. Though the presence of streaks is highly indicative of Dutch Elm Disease, the streaks will need to be tested by a professional for confirmation.
Can You Stop Dutch Elm Disease?
There is no cure for Dutch Elm Disease, and the damage that it causes cannot be reversed. The following treatment options can effectively halt the spread of the damage by eliminating the Elm Bark beetle that spreads the fungus.
Aggressive Removal Of Dead And Dying Branches
Be vigilant about checking your elm trees for dead or dying branches and remove suspect branches immediately to eliminate breeding spots for Elm Bark beetles. If the dead branches are found and removed while the tree is dormant the Elm Bark beetles themselves will be destroyed as well. Once removed, the dead branches must be disposed of in a chipper, or by burning or burying them.
Aggressive Removal Of Dead And Dying Branches
Topical insecticide applications applied by qualified arborists have proven effective at killing the Elm Bark beetles that spread the fungus. The success of insecticide treatment hinges on the correct identification of the type of Elm Bark beetle causing the infection. Native Elm Bark beetle infestations require insecticide treatment applied to the tree’s lower stems at the end of summer, while European Elm Bark beetle infestations require insecticide treatment of the tree’s crown in the spring.
Sever Root Grafts
Elm trees in close proximity to one another form root grafts when the roots of one tree fuse with the roots of the neighboring tree. If one of the trees is infected with the fungus that causes Dutch Elm Disease, the grafting will provide a pathway for the fungus to infect the other trees as well. If an infected tree is grafted to a healthy tree the root graft must be severed before the removal of the dying tree. If the graft is intact when the dying tree is removed the healthy tree will immediately pull in the fluids of the dying tree through the grafted roots. If two or more healthy trees are grafted together the root grafts should be severed as a preventative measure.
Fungicide Root Injections
Fungicides injected directly into the tree’s root system to be disseminated through the entire tree by its own vascular system are the most effective method of eliminating the fungal infection and halting the devastating damage that it causes. When applied by qualified arborists before the tree has sustained a life-threatening degree of damage, fungicidal injections offer the best chance of saving the tree.
Why Is Dutch Elm Disease So Destructive?
There are several factors that make Dutch Elm Disease one of the most destructive tree diseases in the natural world.
Ease And Speed Of Transmission
The fungus responsible for Dutch Elm Disease is spread through the elm’s vascular system. The elm’s intertwining root systems which graft one tree to its closest neighbors allow the fungus to spread very quickly from one infected tree out to every other tree in the system.
Multiple Destructive Elements Compound Damage
The breeding activity of the elm bark beetle inflicts a significant amount of damage on the tree’s life-sustaining vascular structure above and beyond the fungal damage.
Early Stages Of Disease Are Invisible
Extensive and irreversible damage is taking place inside infected trees long before the first outwardly visible symptoms appear to indicate the tree is infected.
Use an expert to help you curb the spread of Dutch Elm Disease
If you suspect one or more of your elm trees may be showing signs of Dutch Elm Disease, it is imperative to seek expert advice as soon as possible. Birch Tree Care’s certified arborists and technicians have the knowledge and expertise to help you protect your trees from destructive diseases like Dutch Elm Disease. Contact us for a free consult and let our experts help you with a Dutch Elm Disease treatment plan to save viable trees and prevent infection of healthy trees. Reference our handy plant healthcare calendar below.
