Fungus and insect diseases can be present in a tree at anytime and sometime come on quickly without warning. For the people who pay close attention to their trees here are some pointers to be able to tell what kind of disease you might have in your tree. The two biggest factors to the decline and eventual death of a tree are fungus' and insect damage. Luckily some trees to not have multiple diseases that kill them. For other trees you could find yourself playing a guessing game. Most people would opt to treat with a insecticide and a fungicide if they did not know what was happening with the tree. Fortunately you can take the guess work out of it if you know the signs.
Some trees like oaks have both fungal and insect diseases that kill trees in rapid rates. Oak wilt and two lined chestnut borer together kill a vast majority of these trees. Here are the generic signs that your tree has either a fungal disease or a insect disease.
Fungus or insect problem?
Fungal Disease Signs
- Widespread damage.
- Dieback starting with lead branch
- Leaf spotting or needle spotting
- Rapid leaf loss
- Leaves brown and fall to the ground
- Similar trees around area showing same signs
Insect Disease Signs
- Slow digression of tree
- Sporatic branches dying one by one
- Woodpeckers present
- Leaves brown up and stay on the tree
- Leaves dont fall
- Tree grows shoots from bottom of tree or on branches
- Grass browning around tree
- Tree loosing small dead branches 1" in diameter
Although these are good signs of a disease all diseases do not affect a tree the same. Some can kill a tree in a week and other will take years to take effect. The one common rule is that no tree dies of just old age. Disease always kills a a tree and trees get stronger with age unlike humans and other living creatures. If you are wondering about you tree and the health of it feel free to contact us by filling out the form below.
Other factors in trees health
While disease usually kills trees insects are usually attracted to weakened trees. Fungal diseases take out a tree that is weakened much faster than a health strong tree. Some of the factors that cause a tree to be suseptable are common sence but others the average person will not think about. Here are some factors both human induced and naturally occuring.
- Drought
- Overwatering and flooding
- PH balance of soil
- Sunlight
- Nutrient leeching from soil
- Hard soil with little areation
- Landscaping and moving soils
- Cutting roots
- Adding mulch or rocks around trees
- Shrubs and or planting around trees.
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