Emerald Ash Borer Treatment

B

Bob McCarty

Moderator
Staff member
Unfortunately arrived in Colorado several years ago. My mom has several large ash trees that her tree service wants to treat with pesticide injections to the tune of $250 per tree every two years. Just wondered if any of you midwesterners had any experience and success with this treatment. I'd also like to hear from anyone who might have learned how to do it themselves.

Thanks, Bob
 
Better start planting some new trees. Don't know how many years one can afford to "save a tree" at $125 per year.
The lower peninsula of Michigan used to have a lot of ash trees. Now there is just a lot of standing dead trees waiting for a wind to blow them down. Once in the state, those things spread like wildfire. The authorities are working very hard to try to keep them away from the Upper Peninsula. There is a complete ban on firewood transport to the U.P.
I've heard that there are now some ash trees that are resistant to the Emerald Ash Borer. Cut them down and sell the firewood before the wood prices drop due to the overabundance of ash wood in the market. Then plant some hybrid resistant trees near the original stumps.
 
Bob, I've talked with an arborist and read some literature about the issue. Doesn't look good. Not sure if a homeowner can do the injections or not, but we have 5 large green ash and 5 medium purple ash in our yard. I know, I know, I keep asking myself "Why did I do this??" Anyway, the chemical treatments that are topical (apply around based of tree) apparently do not protect the tree as advertised. We're looking to remove a couple of green ash this year.
 
Don McCombs":1whc6y39 said:
The insecticides used for the systemic treatments are not available to non-licensed applicators, such as homeowners.
Click to expand...

That's what the arborist relayed to me as well. Expensive treatments.
 
I wonder if there is a way to test the tree to see if that particular tree is resistant to the borer.
Would hate to cut down or treat a tree that is already naturally resistant.
 
All 114 Missouri counties and the city of St. Louis are now under federal and state quarantine to prevent the accidental spread of the borer to states with no reported EAB locations. Source, Univ Mo Extension.

Were 4 ash trees near north fence line on son's house property. Had to take one down last summer, dying. Part of the stump is still standing. Will peel back some of the stump's bark to check for the bore. This is in Osage county, Mo.

Edit: Hoping the quarantines on transported lumber products work. Have lost all of my butternut trees (3 or 4 trees) to imported disease. Thousand canker disease is slowing spreading into Missouri. The disease effects black walnut trees. Over 200 black walnut trees on the acreage, losing them would have a devastating effect on future income from harvesting the trees for lumber.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top