DED Treatment and More

[brendonv]

I was working excavation yesterday when the boss slipped the neighbor my card. He approached me today with a competitors contract that he had set up this year already. He is thinking of me for next year.

The company is treating an absolutely gorgeous Elm tree about 43" DBH along the water line. They are currently using "Dutch Trig" on this tree. (never heard of it, google found the site tho)

They are also soil drenching a Birch, and liquid injecting fert. in the soil for a cedar, spruce, weeping cherry, and also the Elm.

What can you guys suggest, and/or what are you using for your DED treatments?

Is there any home brew type thing to inject fert. without the expensive equip.? Currently I employ the drill hole fill with correct amount of granular. What do you do?

I don't see the point in this company using soil injection on this site tho. We dug down 11' across the street and I saw the soil layers. About 6" of top soil, then 4+/- gravel sand mix, then full sand. I can't see the fert doing much sticking around in the stuff.

Here's an aerial pic of the Elm, this tree/place is awesome.

I am thinking I'd like to get into this kinda stuff more. Being a small business I can go out myself and get these things done solo. It's hard to find good help these days. I am also considering it because 2 companies want to hire me to do their applications for them because of my licensing.

Help me out! :D

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c351/Brendonv/RudyElm.jpg

[TC3]

Yoga. You want good flexibility so that you can bend over & kiss the tree good-bye.
Micorrhizal supplements by the b'zillion is what I'd offer as snake oil.

[OTGBOSTON]

I think abasol is the trade name of the mauget product that controls the beetle and the fungus itself. We use alamo treatments when DED gets hot and heavy, bidrin and fungisol for maintenance.* (abasol is better IMO, less injections, being the young guy I often get overruled :( )

[TC3]

Anti-fungals have their place. As a "Gung-Ho" place to throw money, municipalities found their mark.
Cut it out !!! Stop wasting your time.
Focus on replanting. Focus on diversity. Focus on learning from your mistakes. There's no shame in it.

[OTGBOSTON]

Oh boy TC do you have this one wrong. We're talking about a place with elm trees well over 200 years old, sometimes removal/replant just ain't the ansa:)

[TC3]

Google downtown Detroit 50 years ago.
DED is devestating. Like Emerald Ash Borer & Chestnut Blight >>> Get used to it & plan ahead.

[OTGBOSTON]

.
DED is devestating. .

Doesn't have to be with the technology we have today. Come for a visit, and see for yourself:D (I hate f-n elm trees! but we have an awesome population of 'em)

[TC3]

Hmmm, might have to pack my boy in & take a "tour" this summer ???
It'd take a WHOLE LOTTA convincing to lean me towards saving Elms.

[OTGBOSTON]

Like I said, I HATE 'EM. But there are enough old timers around here with $$ who love 'em to keep the DED program alive.

[top hopper]

Whats wrong with saving Elms?

They're beautiful trees and the DED treatments used today have proven to be (for the most part) 98% effective (as a preventative). Sure there are losses, but "snake oil" is a far stretch! If you can afford the treatment and the tree has value, then why not.


Brendon,
Is / was the Elm in question infected? or is it being treated as a preventative?

[brendonv]

I beleive it preventative. I didn't get to speak with him long.

[OTGBOSTON]

I beleive it preventative. I didn't get to speak with him long.

If it was already infected it'd be toast by now.

Big prob with DED is it will spread by root grafts, flagging=time to call in the removal crew and stump grinder.

[brendonv]

If it was already infected it'd be toast by now.

Big prob with DED is it will spread by root grafts, flagging=time to call in the removal crew and stump grinder.


That why I want to see this tree in full leaf. There are tons of Elms along the water in this neighborhood. And a drive by they seemed to look fine. I'll update in summer on how it looks.

[OTGBOSTON]

June, July are the hot months for DED. Best to prune in winter, do not prune after mid April, paint cuts if you have to prune in April or later. did I mention that I hate Elm trees?:D

[TC3]

Whats wrong with saving Elms?

They're beautiful trees and the DED treatments used today have proven to be (for the most part) 98% effective (as a preventative). Sure there are losses, but "snake oil" is a far stretch! If you can afford the treatment and the tree has value, then why not.


Brendon,
Is / was the Elm in question infected? or is it being treated as a preventative?

I admire that. Thanx for setting me straight, for real.
Sometimes, I get disenchanted. I need for REAL arborists to keep me in check.

[top hopper]

Treatments do nothing to stop root graft infection either. Its only effective with overland infection via the beetle. Any adjacent, healthy, unprotected elm within root graft distance is a possible vector for transmission.
In a case where there is one healthy subject Elm tree surrounded by younger less desireable Elms, the usual protocol would be to plow a root graft trench between the potential "grafters" and the subject tree, while additionally treating the healthy subject with a preventative fungicide.
Basically isolating the tree.

Before disease is present.

[top hopper]

did I mention that I hate Elm trees?:D





They are one of my most revered trees aesthetically.

But as far as climbing, I hate them with a passion.

[TC3]

"Holliday-Hoobity-Whatty?"
(The Grinch asking Cindy Lou Who about his appointment).
Can we just take it on faith that Elm trees are f**ked ?!?
Seriously, mang.

[OTGBOSTON]

Treatments do nothing to stop root graft infection either. Its only effective with overland infection via the beetle. Any adjacent, healthy, unprotected elm within root graft distance is a possible vector for transmission.
In a case where there is one healthy subject Elm tree surrounded by younger less desireable Elms, the usual protocol would be to plow a root graft trench between the potential "grafters" and the subject tree, while additionally treating the healthy subject with a preventative fungicide.
Basically isolating the tree.

Before disease is present.

Right, Kill 'em early!

I love the calls I get in october about elms flagging. "Really" I say, "Dutch Elm Disease?" " Or is it FALL in New England!?!?":lol:

[TC3]

I ride the back roads of Michigan, and here's how it goes :
"Ash. It's f**ked."
"Elm. They're f**cked."
"Cherry. Black knot. They're f**kd."
"Red Oak. Flagging. Wilt. F**ked."
"Red Maple. Nice. Great. Drought, V-wilt, 2 years from now, f**ked."
Locust, Bradford Pear, CrabApple, thriving. Great.

[OTGBOSTON]

Locust, Bradford Pear, CrabApple, thriving. Great.

All you need is an out break of thrips, fireblight, and a big ice storm, then all your trees will be focked;)

[TC3]

So I am asking honestly, WHAT IS THE SOLUTION ???
I am truly concerned, and I don't know what to do ?

[pigwot]

The main campus at the Univ of Delaware has stately old elms.
In the 70's and 80's a lot were lost. The University would send their tree crew around town and remove infected trees gratis years ago. Now with diligent preventative treatment they have saved a number of the old majestic trees while re-planting with zelkova serrata.

http://www.whizbark.com/~pgwhiz/UDGreen.jpg

[OTGBOSTON]

. Now with diligent preventative treatment they have saved a number of the old majestic trees while re-planting with zelkova serrata.


I never understood that, How was that tree chosen as the replacement???:?

[Canuck]

Alberta has a huge elm population and no DED. There are protocol in place to prevent it and so far it has worked. Will it work forever? Probably not but so far so good. What type of protocol? It is illegal to bring firewood into Alberta, the idea being to stop infected wood from entering the province. Province wide elm pruning ban. By law you can not prune an elm tree between April 1st and Sept 30th. Every urban center has an elm person who's job is to monitor and inventory elms. If an infected tree is found (happened once in 1998 ) the entire tree and its root system is to be immediately removed with the tab picked up by the government. Both Calgary and Edmonton have large, established beetle populations. Here in Lethbridge we don't.