Dutch Elm Disease

[topnotchtree]

I have a few medium sized elms that all seemed healthy till this year. I have 2 smaller ones dying now. I have noticed in my area quite a few Elms dying out this year. I would like to know if there is anything I can do to protect the rest of the elms on my property. I was told if I seen a limb flagging, or turning yellow, I should remove the limb to prevent the disease from spreading to the rest of the tree. Anybody know this to be true? I should note it has been a very dry summer for us so far, so I believe the drought is stressing the trees also. I was also told people used to have their trees sprayed but that was very expensive and didn't work well. Any help?

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

There are two ways Elms get DED, bugs and roots. If it gets it from another diseased tree through the roots, it's a goner. If the infection started at the top from an infected beetle, you can go up to the dying limb and peel the bark back, looking for brown staining. Follow the staining toward the ground until it ends. That point is about 8 feet behind where the infection is, so you need to make your cut about 8 feet lower than the staining. Most times it's so far down the tree, the cut to remove the infection would be too low to save the tree, but if you get it soon enough, you might get lucky and only have to remove only a little branch.
Because you have two trees flagging, I assume one became infected and spread the disease to the next, in which case both trees are good as dead, along with any others with in about a hundred feet. Typically DED will jump from tree to tree, until the spacing is too far apart for root grafting. The beetles can still spread DED, so they are all most likely going to die sooner or later.
There is a chemical that is very effective for stopping insect infection, but useless against root infection. Check Rainbow Tree Care's web site for more information, but in a nut shell, it's pricey, you need special tools, and you need to remove any other Elms your not treating within about 100 feet of the tree(s) you're treating.

 

[topnotchtree]

Thanks for the info Mike. Would you happen to know if it is spread by the beetle, Is the bug long gone by the time the tree shows signs? Like the EAB? I guess I am asking should I remove sick the trees ASAP? There is at least 100 feet between my sick and healthy trees. And will chipping kill the bug\larvea? Should I haul the infected wood offsite?

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

The infected beetles bore in and lay eggs, the fungus grows and the eggs hatch, bore around, exit the tree, and go looking for another tree. Sanitation is highly recommended. The problem is that there are so many infected beetles leaving trees, especially in rural areas like mine, that sanitizing one or two trees is like pissing in the ocean and waiting for it to rise.
Beetles are attracted to stressed trees, so keeping your trees healthy is smart, but even the healthiest Elms can get DED.
If you have a really nice Elm, think about clearing away smaller Elms and injecting it. It costs about $200 and lasts 3 years.

 

[topnotchtree]

Thanks again Mike. Your info was helpful and appreciated. I will look into getting somebody here to inject it.

 

[slabracing]

Ded

I had an arborist come in last year to look at a couple of my elms and we had one tree that he injected as a protective treatment and said given the location that it should be fine.
This spring however the tree has a lot of brances that are not budding out at all,should I be concerned that something is going on or wait a bit to see if it will come back?
We had one tree that died of DED about 200' away but the ground between the two trees was trenched for water lines(6'deep,14"wide) the summer before.The dead tree was cut down early last December as recommended by the arborist.All the wood was burned.The treated tree showed no signs of problems last year.
Any insight/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Dave

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

How close to the treated tree was the trench?

 

[slabracing]

about 30 ft

 

[slabracing]

are you the same Mike Maas that has a picture in the Woodmaster calendar?

 

[antigrassguy]

A 3rd way to sread DED is with infected tools. Cut on a sick one and then move to healthy one and the fungus will be spread. Lysol kills germs.
12 years ago we had 4 24" dbh elms that were about 30' apart. We watched as 1 would die a year. 7 years ago we found the injections. Hit the last tree without trenching the root grafts. 1st year it was sparse, but made it. In its second years it had a 6" limb flag. Pruned it out and injected again, in the second year. Waited 3 years and juiced it again. This year it is awesome. Looks great with a boatload of new growth. Cant explain it, I am just reporting on what we have found thru or own trials.
Slabbraceing what was tree injected with and how much was it given? Micro injection or macro injection? Also your weather and amount of H2O could be issues as well. Contact the person who injected and pick their brain as well. I would be concerned as you plunked down some good coin. Please keep us updated.