I have a large ash tree in my front yard. I have read and heard about the Emerald Ash Borer being in this area. As a precaution, I had my tree treated by an arborist. That was about 4 - 6 weeks ago. Now all the leaves are drying up and falling off. Is my tree dying? Should I water the hell out of it? Should I do nothing? Please help! I would really hate to lose this tree. Thank You
Ash Tree
- Thread starter GregWW
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Can you post pics of the leaves? Where are you located? Ash Anthracnose (a fungal disease...has nothing to do with EAB or the products used to treat EAB) has been bad in NW Ohio this year with our cool wet summer.
What did they treat your tree with and how did they treat it?
What did they treat your tree with and how did they treat it?
If I did this right, you can see that not all the leaves are falling as one leaf. Some in clumps. There are also some "bud" type things falling. I'm afraid I am not good with trees, cameras, or computers 
Forgot to mention. I am in west central Illinois. I don't know what they treated the tree with. They drilled holes in the base of the tree and injected it I believe.
Forgot to mention. I am in west central Illinois. I don't know what they treated the tree with. They drilled holes in the base of the tree and injected it I believe.Attachments
Need to call & ask what was injected into your tree, it should have been written on your contract. Have the Arborist return & evaluate your ash tree. Was the tree under stress from drought? When you say "all the leaves", this means the tree is defoliated? If not pics of the tree would be helpful.
Hmmm...Usually Anthracnose leaves them a little more distorted, but I don't think those pictures rule that out.
That last picture is just a male flower that had mites in it. No problems there.
If a client called to say "the tree you treated isn't looking so good", I'd have no problem making a follow-up visit. Ask what they used just so you have it on record.
That last picture is just a male flower that had mites in it. No problems there.
If a client called to say "the tree you treated isn't looking so good", I'd have no problem making a follow-up visit. Ask what they used just so you have it on record.
Like the guys said you should have on your contract with the Arborist what chemical he used to treat the tree and how it was administered. Have you contacted him. It's 7:20. If I got a call tonight that a tree I treated was looking that poorly you could be sure I would be there first thing in the morning.
That being said it could be ash yellows or abiotic leaf scorch.
That being said it could be ash yellows or abiotic leaf scorch.
The tree was treated with emamectin benzoate. I just talked to the arborist. He said he would be here this afternoon to look at the tree, but I have heard that before. Sorry if I did these pics wrong. Like I said, not good with computers. Not all the leaves have fallen, but I would say over 50 percent
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After looking at your new pics, I'm thinking your ash tree is not in the dire shape as you first portrayed.
Glad to see that one of us, a hired arborist, didn't toast your tree.
Leaf drop mid summer is commonly due to lack of soil moisture.
Heavy squirrel populations can strip out & drop copious leaflets.
Compounding your situation as seen in your leaf pics is leaf spot, leaf scorch, mosaic leaf virus & flower gall.
I'm guessing you'll be instructed to maintain proper tree health.
Glad to see that one of us, a hired arborist, didn't toast your tree.
Leaf drop mid summer is commonly due to lack of soil moisture.
Heavy squirrel populations can strip out & drop copious leaflets.
Compounding your situation as seen in your leaf pics is leaf spot, leaf scorch, mosaic leaf virus & flower gall.
I'm guessing you'll be instructed to maintain proper tree health.
The arborist did come back and look at the tree. He says he has seen this happen before but not sure of the cause. While we were outside looking at the tree, the wind came up and A LOT of leaves fell down. He said he is going to call his chemical supplier and see what they suggests. He is going to feed the tree and instructed me to water it every other day for 15 - 20 minutes. We have had record rain fall in our area this summer, so I doubt it is lack of moisture, but I will gladly water it. He believes the tree will " re-leaf " as he called it. He also said he believes the tree will survive and be fine. I HOPE SO. THANK YOU all for your help. I will try to keep you posted as to the health of the tree.
By the way,since you brought up the point of squirrels, they have been a problem around here. Black squirrels, LOTS of them. Any way to discourage them besides a shotgun? I'm not good with them either I guess I have one more question. Can I water the tree too much?
By the way,since you brought up the point of squirrels, they have been a problem around here. Black squirrels, LOTS of them. Any way to discourage them besides a shotgun? I'm not good with them either
I guess I have one more question. Can I water the tree too much?
I had some leaf drop after treating an elm once...entirely different product and different process, but leaf drop after injection anyhow. It looked like a lot on the ground, but you wouldn't notice any missing from the tree. No long-term affect. I have doubts that this leaf drop is related to the injection. Let us know if you hear otherwise!
Your tree almost looks like EAB could have gotten started on it already, and that could be the cause of some leaf drop. Not too much that I don't think treatment won't work.
To answer your more specific questions:
*Squirrels - options besides shotgun = .22. Here is an article: http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/pages/publicationD.jsp?publicationId=1146
*YES, you can water too much! Saturated soil is as bad as droughty soil...that is why probably he said to water for 15 to 20 min. That is enough to get moisture in the soil, but not too much.
Your tree almost looks like EAB could have gotten started on it already, and that could be the cause of some leaf drop. Not too much that I don't think treatment won't work.
To answer your more specific questions:
*Squirrels - options besides shotgun = .22. Here is an article: http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/pages/publicationD.jsp?publicationId=1146
*YES, you can water too much! Saturated soil is as bad as droughty soil...that is why probably he said to water for 15 to 20 min. That is enough to get moisture in the soil, but not too much.
Oldman47
ArboristSite Guru
I had a huge leaf drop a few days ago on my english walnut. The way the leaves first turned yellow I figured it was probably too much water. This year we are far higher on rain than a "typical" year. The way the leaves yellowed looked just like the color I see all the time on crops in low lying areas that never dry out quite right.
Did the walnut leaves look like the pictures here: http://hyg.ipm.illinois.edu/pastpest/200718b.html
Pretty common on black walnut up here...but obviously things in FL can be quite a bit different than OH
Pretty common on black walnut up here...but obviously things in FL can be quite a bit different than OH
My ash tree is still dropping leaves. I would guess 75% loss at this point. The arborist told me on the 28th. of July that he would be back to feed the tree, but I have not heard from him since. I keep watering every other day like he suggested.
Greg do you know what your soil type is? Excessive watering of heavy clay type soils may be compounding the leaf drop issue.
No I don't. The company was here today and poured some type of fertilizer around the tree. The guy said the tree was "stressed" from the weather. Seems funny my ash tree seems to be the only ash tree "stressed" by the weather of all the ash trees I have seen in town. And it wasn't "stressed" until after they treated it. I will keep watering it since he didn't tell me to stop.
I would stop the watering and have another arborist take a look for a second opinion.
Don't know why this occurred to me today, and not earlier... did they put black plactic (or perhaps black with yellow caps) plugs in the holes they drilled? if so, tap above those gently to see if the bark is lose or tight. If those plugs are not set right the injection can blow off some bark. if that happened to all of the plugs, you tree would have a hard time getting enough water to the leaves. Are the holes are the very bottom of the tree?
Was that poured fertilizer the company applied in mid August called "compost tea"?
Did they rule out EAB (Emerald Ash Borer)?
Call them back and ask for follow up or if they can't find the cause, then ask another Arborist to come take a look.
Call them back and ask for follow up or if they can't find the cause, then ask another Arborist to come take a look.
