Arborist advice Dutch Elm disease

buickanddeere · Jul 1, 2014

Anybody here experiment with a diseased elm tree? I was thinking how an animal or person copes better against illness if they have enough healthy feed. It can"t hurt to try it with plants either ?
When fertilizing the young oaks , blue spruce etc which are growing at a startling rate when dosed with 19-19-19. The 40+ft elm got a heavy spread of fertilizer in a 10ft radius around the trunk last summer and this spring.
There were three brown branches last year but only one brown branch this year. The foliage is particuly thick and green with 12+ inches of new growth.
Any hope or just delaying the inevitable ?

Larry EC-OH · Jul 1, 2014

I'm not sure how large a tree you are talking about. A "young" tree will react to treatment better than an older tree. The most active feeder roots are at or just beyond the drip line of any tree. A healthy tree will be much more resistant to disease etc than one that is struggling. Nitrogen will move downward in the soil by leaching, Phosphorus moves not at all and if applied to the top of the soil without incorporating it is lost in runoff. You did not mention pH and soil types, both of which will have a big impact.

Generally, the rule is not to fertilize trees. Application of Nitrogen gives a rapid flush of growth which makes the tree more susceptible to wind damage and definitely is more attractive to deer as they like the salt.

About the only proven method of combating the disease is injection into the cambium layer (just under the bark).

Sorry to turn this into a long-winded answer.

Larry

Billy NY · Jul 1, 2014

Elm Research Institute does offer a set up, using a fiberglass tank you fill with solution, a fungicide, then pressurize the tank, which then will feed a line going to a harness you previously drilled and installed at the appropriate places at the base of the tree. I did a big one years ago, it took more than a 55 gallon drum up into it, but unfortunately the tree had already flagged, (yellow leaves on top, on a branch) and from then its only got a 50/50 chance to survive after injection and I did the injection in August, best done in spring when the sap or whatever runs. There is another problem killing the Ulmus Americana, does about the same thing, starves it from water, I have a favorite one that grew in nicely from the mid 90's and it came in nice this year, nice green leaves, full, but all for naught, leaves started drying, some yellow, some brown, really sucks when it takes a prominent or desirable tree, at least the black cherry next to it will be there, that one came up alongside a pile of brick, late 70's I think, never really belonged their but I just let it go and I am glad I did, nice to see them develop over time.

Liquid_wrench · Jul 1, 2014

Mine started turning brown on a few branches way up at the top..in the fall..I lost one last year and one this year...I still have one more...all were planted in 1913..and were about 40 feet apart..it spreads thru the roots so I will most likely lose my last one next year..they were american elms ..60-70 foot high...I"m loosing my shade real fast.its a shame because my grandfather planted them when he bought the farm. I am planting red maples to replace them..but it will take years before my shade for my house is back.

550Doug · Jul 1, 2014

(quoted from post at 09:53:38 07/01/14) Anybody here experiment with a diseased elm tree? I was thinking how an animal or person copes better against illness if they have enough healthy feed. It can"t hurt to try it with plants either ?
When fertilizing the young oaks , blue spruce etc which are growing at a startling rate when dosed with 19-19-19. The 40+ft elm got a heavy spread of fertilizer in a 10ft radius around the trunk last summer and this spring.
There were three brown branches last year but only one brown branch this year. The foliage is particuly thick and green with 12+ inches of new growth.
Any hope or just delaying the inevitable ?

In both the plant and the animal kingdoms, predators attack the weak and vulnerable first. So too with Elm trees, or all trees for that matter.
The importance of trace minerals cannot be overstated for healthy trees. Check out this site:
www.carbon-negative.us/soil/trace.htm

Also, for more on rock dust read some of the successes with Azomite at the site
www.azomite.com/products/trees.html

Bruce from Can. · Jul 1, 2014

Not an Arborist for sure, but from my life experience I would think a chains saw will come into play. Probably best applied about two feet above ground level. Money save from attempted treatment spent on saving Elem, spent on a replacement Maple. Not trying to be a wise guy.Makes me sad to see Elem and Ash trees dying Bruce

showcrop · Jul 1, 2014

The town where I grew up had a lot of elms including one in our family's back yard. I will probably get a resistant one and plant it here at my place. There are various places to get them, one is in Keene NH from the Elm Research Institute.

Harry Selleck · Jul 1, 2014

Make certain the milady is "Dutch Elm Disease" which is a fungus.Try this site:
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/hortanswers/detailproblem.cfm?PathogenID=82

Arborist advice Dutch Elm disease

buickanddeere

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Larry EC-OH

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Billy NY

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Liquid_wrench

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550Doug

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Bruce from Can.

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showcrop

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Harry Selleck

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