Plants/Trees Health Service
Protecting Your Investment through Active Maintenance of Healthy Trees
Trees in good health will be able to withstand stress from weather, insects & diseases & provide years of beauty & value to your property. However, it takes more than just regular maintenance (i.e., pruning) to maintain the overall health of trees; a total care plan is required that addresses all aspects of the tree, including nutrition, pest control, disease prevention, and environmental conditions that are specific to the Pacific Northwest.
Our plant health care specialists at Seattle Tree Trim and Removal have received extensive education/training in the biology of trees as well as pathology and entomology, combined with years of hands on experience dealing with the many tree health issues present in Seattle, we take a holistic approach when addressing the health of trees by identifying the root cause(s) of a problem rather than only treating the symptom(s), thus creating customized health care plans that will restore vigor and help to prevent future issues related to tree health.
Whether you notice signs of distress with one or more of your trees, or you simply want to implement proactive preventative measures to protect the value of one or more valuable specimen trees, our staff has the knowledge and treatment options necessary to ensure the continued health and longevity of your outdoor landscape. The treatments used by our staff include integrated pest management methods, the use of environmentally safe products, and time-tested practices that focus on the health of the tree for the long term, versus a short-term fix.
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The Benefits of Caring for Your Trees
Protecting an Investment – Mature Trees Add Substantial Property Value
Many mature trees add thousands to tens of thousands of dollars to a property’s value. Trees are valued based on what they look like (species and condition), where they are located, and how large they are, with values ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 or more. The value of a tree is based on its ability to enhance the appearance of your home and yard (curb appeal), save you money through the provision of shade and wind protection, clean the air we breathe, and create the unique characteristics of your home or business.
When a mature tree dies prematurely due to an illness or insect problem that could have been prevented, there has likely also been a loss of monetary and aesthetic value.
A well-planned tree health care program will help protect this investment by allowing for better extension of tree life expectancy, continued vigor, appearance, reduced likelihood of costly emergency removals, and preservation of the many ecological functions that trees perform.
Early Detection = Less Expensive Treatments & More Trees Saved
It is generally true that problems with trees identified early in the process are much easier to correct and less expensive to fix than problems identified after the damage has already occurred. If a fungal infection were identified early, as an example, it would be possible to apply a single fungicide treatment and cure the tree. However, if the same fungus had progressed further in the tree and was more severe, multiple applications of fungicides over multiple years would be required to attempt to control the problem, or worse still, the tree would need to be removed.
Our regular monitoring and assessment programs allow us to find problems with our clients’ trees at the very beginning of the development of those problems, and thereby make treatment as inexpensive and easy as possible. This is similar to having insurance on your home, but instead of protecting your house, your insurance policy is protecting your trees.
Maximizing the Environmental Benefits of Trees
Trees that are healthy and vigorous will perform their ecosystem services (carbon sequestration, air purification, stormwater management, wildlife habitat, etc.) at maximum levels. Therefore, caring for your trees to keep them healthy and vigorous is essential to maximizing the overall environmental benefits of the trees on your property.
Common Tree Diseases Found in Seattle
Fungal Diseases
Seattle’s humid environment provides perfect conditions for a variety of fungal pathogens that cause tree illness.
Anthracnose: Causes black spots with brown edges on maple, dogwood, and many other deciduous tree leaves, which may fall off early. This usually is not lethal, but it does continue to weaken the tree and reduce its aesthetic appeal.
Powdery mildew: Powdery white fungus on leaves of several species. The main problem is that the fungus causes the tree to be stressed, which should be addressed.
Phytophthora and Armillaria root rots: Both of these diseases can seriously compromise a tree when they infect the roots, especially if the soil has poor drainage. They prevent the tree from getting nutrients and water, and can lead to reduced stability as well as less ability to grow.
Cankers: Can be sunken (sunken into the trunk) or raised (swollen) and have a diseased area that can completely encircle the branch or trunk of a tree. Many types of canker diseases affect different types of trees. Therefore, identification of the type of disease is crucial in order to properly treat the tree.
Leaf spot: Many types of fungi cause leaf spotting on a wide range of tree species. Most leaf spot diseases are aesthetically displeasing, but some can also signal that there are some health issues with the tree.
Needle cast: Fungus on needles causes them to drop prematurely, which reduces the canopy density of a tree. Needle cast diseases occur most frequently in Douglas Fir, Spruce, and Pine tree species in Seattle’s climate.
Pests and Insects
Aphids: Small insects that feed on plant sap by piercing the stem of the leaf. This can cause curled leaves and excessive honeydew production, creating an overgrowth of sooty mold. If the population gets too large, it can stress the tree and make it an attractive food source for other insects and animals.
Scale insects: Both armored and soft scales will attach themselves to the bark and branches of trees, where they will feed on the sap. When the population grows too large, the tree will become weakened and may begin to lose branches due to the insect’s feeding habits.
Spider mites: Tiny spider mites will create white dots or specks on the underside of the leaves of a tree, which can cause stippling and discoloration. Spider mites are particularly active in times of drought and/or high temperatures and tend to thrive on stressed trees.
Beetle Borers: The larval stage of borers burrows into the wood of the tree, causing structural damage and potentially killing the tree. Borer attacks often target stressed trees; therefore, preventing borer infestation is primarily dependent on proper tree maintenance.
Tent caterpillar: Tent caterpillars defoliate trees in the spring while developing their distinctive tents in the crotch of the branches. Defoliation alone is unlikely to kill a healthy tree; however, repeated defoliation can significantly weaken the tree.
Bark beetles: Bark beetles attack many types of evergreen trees, such as pine and spruce. A healthy tree typically resists beetle attack through the production of resin; however, stressed trees are highly susceptible to beetle attack.
Treatment Application Methods
Foliar Sprays
Spraying a liquid treatment on leaves and stems that treats foliar diseases, surface-feeding insects, and provides for fast absorption of nutrients by the plant.
Pros:
Fast acting, can verify that the area is being treated with the application, and are effective for foliar pests and diseases.
Cons:
Weatherweather-dependentt application requires complete coverage, may require multiple applications, and can be a concern due to drift.
Soil Drenches and Injections
A liquid treatment applied to the soil in the immediate vicinity of the base of the tree, allowing the roots to take up the treatment and allow it to become distributed systemically.
Pros:
Systemic protection from pests and diseases will occur as the product moves through the tree, reduces non-target exposures, and is effective against soil-dwelling pests and soil-borne diseases.
Cons:
It will act much slower than a foliar spray, requires adequate soil moisture at the time of application, and may require specialized equipment to inject the product into the tree’s vascular system.
Trunk Injections
Injecting a treatment directly into the vascular system of the tree.
Pros:
Provides maximum protection with the least amount of product required, eliminates any risk of spray drift or run-off, provides long-lasting efficacy for most products used in this manner for an entire growing season, and has the lowest amount of environmental exposure possible.
Cons:
Causes a small wound (although typically a minor one) on the tree; requires specialized equipment and training to apply correctly; and should not be attempted on all types of trees or in all situations.
Basal Bark Treatments
Treatments are applied to the basal portion of the trunk of the tree for systemic uptake.
Pros:
Easy to apply, effective for some pest and disease problems, and creates no wounds on the tree.
Cons:
Only available for use with specific products, it will require suitable bark conditions before application and is weather-dependent.
Granular Applications
Solid granules are applied around the base of the tree.
Pros:
Easy to apply, slow-release formulation, minimal equipment needed.
Cons:
Requires water to activate the product, takes longer to take effect compared to liquid treatments, and may interfere with turf or ground covers.
Ongoing Monitoring
Monitoring
Monitoring and follow-up for trees is conducted after an initial assessment to provide a basis to evaluate how much the trees have improved from their previous state (or declined).
Documentation that will be used to monitor and follow up includes: Photographs, written descriptions of observed symptoms and issues; Growth and vigor measurements; Notations of specific areas of concern.
Following the initial inspection(s), regular monitoring will be done to assess the progress of previously identified problems with the trees and/or to determine what new problems may exist.
The frequency of monitoring will depend upon: The health of the trees, the type of treatment applied to the trees, and the goals of the client. Typically, this would occur every 3 months, every 6 months, or once per year.
Adaptive management means adjusting treatment options as they relate to the response of the trees and the changes that occur during the treatment period, versus strictly adhering to a predetermined plan.
Evaluation of Treatment
Post-intervention evaluation of the treatment provided to the trees will be performed systematically to assess its effectiveness.
Improvement in Symptoms: A comparison between the pre-treatment and post-treatment conditions will be made to assess if the identified problems have been resolved.
Assessment of Tree Vigor: Assessments of growth, foliage quality, and overall tree vitality will be completed.
Assessments of Pest and Disease Populations: Will be completed to determine if pest and disease populations are under control or at least in remission.
Recommendations for Adjusting Programs: Based on the results of the evaluations, recommendations will be developed to either increase the intensity of the program being implemented or decrease the frequency of the treatments as necessary.