Archive for July, 2009

400 Year Old Oak Tree in Brunswick, Georgia Fails

Friday, July 31st, 2009

Doc,

We were sad to see this old oak go. Do you remember it? It was on the same street as our house (Union ST.)

Oddly enough, the man we live with happened to take these first two “before” shots the morning that it fell. It fell in the late afternoon.

There was no storm. We guess that it just grew a little too much for it to support itself. It’s the one that dipped down over the sidewalk and you had to duck to get under the branch.

 - Ayal

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Ayal,

What a horrible thing. I do remember this geogeous old oak.

Maybe we should start looking at all the “island” oaks, to see if they have adequate root systems. Things like soil replacement could have prevented this along with bracing.

- Doc

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Bacterial Leaf Scorch “Xylella Fastidosa” – Ask the Doc!

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Question:

Doc,

Our mulberry has some sort of infection which is visible in weeping from a place where a limb was removed. Could this be the same bacterium, and be increasing the exposure of our oak to Xylella fastidosa?

Thanks,
- Bob B.

Doc’s Answer:

Dear Mr. Bruner,

The bacteria you described is known as wetwood canker. It is indeed a bacteria however, except for its bad odor and unsightliness, it is of no concern to the tree. It is not related to the xylella fastidosa bacterium which shows as a browning and dieback of leaves.

“Doc”

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Diplodia (Sphaeropsis) Blight – Pine Tree Infections

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

Pine Tree Disease Prevention

Is your long needle pine declining with individual branches turning reddish brown. If so, your pine is very likely infected with diplodia (Sphaeropsis) blight. You can slow the process by allowing more air movement around the pine. Trimming and destroying infected branches and removing spent pine needles and pine cones will also help the tree as this is where diplodia over-winters. Having the pine foliar bark drenched at bud break and approximately ten (10) days later by a Certified Arborist will also slow the tree’s demise.

Do you have questions about your landscape or other environmental issues? “Ask the Doc”

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Stop Rhysosphaera from Attacking Colorado Blue Spruce Trees

Monday, July 13th, 2009

The Rhysosphaera Disease

If you own a Colorado Blue Spruce tree that has purplish brown spruce needles in places, it may have a disease called Rhysosphaera needle cast. To be sure, look at the purplish spruce needles for tiny black dots. These are the fruiting bodies of the Rhysosphaera.

You will need help from a Certified Arborist who will treat the tree early May and three to four weeks later OR every ten to fourteen days through early July if we have a rainy spring. Note: You may have a disease called “Cytospora Canker” which I will discuss in a different report.

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“Pinewood Nematodes” – Protect your Long Needle Pines from the Bark Beetle

Monday, July 13th, 2009

PINEWOOD NEMATODES: The Long Needle Pine Enemy

We have a new enemy of our long needle pines, especially our Scots or Scotch pine. That’s the one with the long bluish green needles and orange upper trunk. If you have a healthy tree, have it treated immediately. If the tree is already dead, remove it and destroy the bark and the bark beetle (black turpentine beetle and other infesting beetles) infesting the bark. This is the vector of “Pinewood nematodes” which kills the tree. Once the tree is infested with these tiny worm-like creatures, it is too late to save the tree.

Do you have questions about your landscape or other environmental issues? “Ask the Doc”

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Avoid the Apple Scab Tree Disease

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

FROM THE DESK OF
DOC PICKHARDT, B.C.A.

Does your beautiful flowering crab tree look thin with yellow leaves dropping to the ground now? Chances are your flowering crab tree has a chronic disease called apple scab. Apple scab attacks your tree in early spring but does not become symptomatic until about June. Unfortunately the flowering crab will be re-infected every spring.

Apple Scab – Disease Control

To help control this disease, rake up and remove as many dead leaves as possible since this is where the disease over-winters. Control will likely require the services of a certified arborist (make sure you see Doc’s Credentials) who will foliar drench your trees three (3) or more times from bud elongation (early May) through leaf out (early June). Another option is to have the tree properly fertilized in spring or fall or both to help the flowering crab recover from the leaf loss caused by the apple scab. Leaves manufacture carbohydrates, which provide nutrients to the tree.

Do you have questions about your landscape or other environmental issues? “Ask the Doc”

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Does your shade tree have bacterial leaf scorch (Xyella fastidiosa)?

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

FROM THE DESK OF
DOC PICKHARDT, B.C.A.

Does your shade tree have bacterial leaf scorch?

Leaf browning and desiccation are the first warning symptoms. If trees are not treated regularly by a certified arborist, the tree will display branch dieback and die prematurely. Trees most commonly affected are sycamores, maples and a number of oak species. Be sure your arborist understands this new disease before you allow him to treat your trees.

Do you have questions about your landscape or other environmental issues? “Ask the Doc”

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