Ever heard of Dutch Elm Disease? It’s also sometimes referred to as Elm Tree Disease and it’s an invasive fungal disease of elm trees that has spread rapidly throughout North America. It also arrived in Minnesota sometime around the summer of 1961.
Dutch Elm Disease Symptoms - what are they?
There are a variety of symptoms relating to Dutch Elm Disease. Keep an eye out for the following signs and take note if your tree is experiencing them:
The yellowing of leaves can also turn brown at a later date
The wilting of leaves on specific branches
Brown streaking in the sapwood underneath the bark
Branches turning a dull green/yellow color
Branches becoming dry, brittle, and brown
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How can you beat or treat Elm Tree Disease?
There are a number of ways in which you can treat infected trees. Generally, as local tree care experts in the Twin Cities area, we focus on the following four steps when treating a tree for Dutch Elm disease. These are:
Isolate where the fungus has affected:
It’s crucial to track and trace exactly where you see the wilting and yellow discolor on the tree’s leaves. After finding the target areas, you can use cutting equipment such as a chisel or saw to cut exploratory sections in the tree in order to find the troublesome spots
Remove the affected branches:
In this stage, it is important to remove the affected branches where it connects to the main trunk. Continue doing this for all affected areas
Trace the damaged area:
By exposing the fungus to air, you can kill it. Remove sections of bark using a chainsaw
Follow-up tracing:
Because tracing only removes the fungus growing in the tree, it’s important to use an approved chemical treatment to protect the tree from future dutch elm disease infections
Image via invasivespeciesinitiative.com
Book a consultation with Birch Tree Care
For all information relating to Dutch Elm Disease and it’s effect on local flora, you can book in for a no-obligation chat to work out the best response for your problem. Speak to a trusted and certified professional in order to ensure you're receiving expert advice on what to do.
