Dutch Elm

[RIVERRAT]

I have never been much involved with PHC when it comes to trees & chemical applications. Over 1/2 the time I am called & after a second opinion the tree is coming out.

A very good customer of mine has a big, beautiful American Elm. I have all ready removed no less than 13 elms on this clients street that got the funk & of course died or where to far gone to save. This client wishes to save their tree.
What is the best way to this?
What will be the cost for me to get set up to do it properly?
I do wish to offer this as a service.

There are many here at home who could answer this for me. I just wished to put it here to see the response.....{ EDIT } The tree in question is showing no outword signs of infection at present.

 

[sotc]

my former employer is doing injections for this. i dont know much about it though

 

[Al Smith]

I remember when I was a little guy the big giant elms that were at least 100 feet high and 3 to 4 feet in diameter lining the streets of major cities.After the Dutch elm bug hit in the 60's they died by the thousands in just a few years.

I don't know much about the preventative or if any thing will stop the problem.In the beginning often times the younger trees that survived only got to maybe 6 to 8 inchs,then they died.Today some will get to 2 or more feet then they go.I took down a 2 footer about 2 years ago.

It appears to me that perhaps the species is over time building up an immunity .Likely over a number of years the trees will be able to once again reach those majestic sizes of years ago. I have a dozen or so in my woods that are perhaps 12 inch .

 

[RIVERRAT]

There is no doubt in my mind that some American Elms are tolerant or have a resistance to this diseases. I TD one in the Mission Hills area here in Ks. that was well over 3' DBH I am guessing close to 10 yrs.ago.
With in 20' of it was another American Elm of the same size. This tree was still standing 2 yrs. ago. Showing no bad signs at all. Except for what the weather had delt it.

I have had a couple of people who's knowledge on this sort is far deeper than mine say there is no way the tree I removed could have died from Dutch Elm. With the other so close & still doing well. I disagree

 

[sawinredneck]

I remember back in the late 80's they would try spraying to prevent DED, I have no idea how effective it was.
I think it was much more effective to completly remove the inffected trees as quickly as possible, same with the pine bettle now. But no one wants to listen now either!!

 

[Mike Maas]

DED spreading from tree to tree requires a root graft (or beetle transmission). When two mature trees are that close, they are very likely grafted together, but not 100%.
Being grafted together is more likely than when there are more than 2 trees.

We mostly do Oak work with Oak Wilt around here, and although I have never seen official statistics, I think there is about 70% chance that two Oaks within grafting distance are actually grafted.

So if you have two trees, there's a 30% chance they are not grafted. But in a group of 3 trees, the percentage goes way down, (I don't know how to do the math).

Say you have 3 trees within grafting distance, and tree #1 is infected.
Tree 1 has a 70% chance of being grafted to tree 2, plus it has a 70% chance of being grafted to tree 3.
Then tree 3 has a 70% chance of being grafted to tree 2, but I'm not sure that plays into the math.


That said, I know the drill on DED pretty good, so if you have specific questions, I'd be happy to answer them best I can.

 

[Mike Maas]

The pump set up is 2 or 3 hundred bucks, plus the chemical is around $100 for a big tree. You can see the stuff at rainbow tree care.
You need a plastic trash can, a cordless drill, a rubber malet, a drill bit, a bunch of "T" fittings, some hose, then the pump which can be 12V or 110V.
You'll be pumping 30 gallons or more of solution.

 

[sotc]

mike please teach me here

 

[sawinredneck]

Thanks Mike!!!!!


(And the Master, has spoken!!!)

 

[Mike Maas]

OK. The first thing to know is you have to have a healthy Elm, and no other elms within grafting distance.
The chemical only protects healthy trees from insects spreading the disease to the tree.
A treated tree is not protected from root graft infections.
If there are other elm trees around, and they are not treated, you're wasting your money.
Ok?

 

[sawinredneck]

Sounds like in this instance, that is not the case "I have taken out many other sick Elms for this customer" (Short hand).

 

[RIVERRAT]

Thanx a bunch Mike!!

 

[top hopper]

http://www.rainbowtreecare.com/pdf/DED_fact_sheet.pdf

 

[sotc]

thanks fellas