An oak tree is a wonderful feature to have as part of your outdoor landscape. However, such large and long-standing trees tend to be vulnerable to a plethora of diseases. Therefore, if you want to protect the health of your oak, as well as the rest of your landscape, you should always keep potential issues in mind.
At Timber Works Tree Care, we have made it a priority to help our clients learn as much as they can about retaining and sustaining the health of their landscape’s trees. In addition, we provide a host of services geared toward this same goal, such as our expert tree removal services for infested or dying trees, as well as land clearing, stump grinding, and more. Our friendly and helpful service has made us the best tree care company in the Boyce, VA area.
Below, we discuss why your oak tree may be dying from the top down, as well as some actions you can take to protect and stop it:
The Reason: Oak Wilt
In most cases, oak trees die from the top down due to an infection from a fungal disease, known as “oak wilt.” It spreads across the eastern United States and is a prominent issue for oak trees during the spring and summer.
As a tree is identified as infected, its symptoms are usually apparent, especially in both seasons. The disease progresses downwards and progressively defoliates (removes leaves from) more and more of the tree.
The amount of time the disease takes to kill the tree depends on the species of oak. Red oak trees are the most susceptible, surviving only one to four months after developing the disease. White oaks, on the other hand, can survive for one to seven years.
How to Protect Your Oak Trees
Oak wilt spreads in a number of ways. One way it spreads is through wounds made on the oak, which tend to form between mid-April to mid-July. These wounds attract wood-boring beetles that often carry oak wilt with them from one tree to another.
You can protect your oak tree by covering the wounds with paint or wood sealant to keep beetles and spores from entering and potentially infecting the tree.
How to Control the Spread of Disease
Unfortunately, after an oak tree has been infected, there is no way to save the tree. There are some treatments that can help, but they are expensive and often impossible to do in residential areas.
The most consistent method of controlling the spread of oak wilt is to remove any and all infested trees from the area. Therefore, if you notice symptoms of oak wilt in any of the trees in your landscape, you should call a reputable tree removal company as soon as possible before the rest of your trees get infected.
Timber Works: Friendly & Dependable Tree Removal Service in Boyce, VA
Oak wilt and various other arboreal diseases are becoming increasingly problematic for forests and landscapes across the US. To help prevent the spread of infestation, we should all become aware and alert of the condition of our trees and do what we can to protect our environment. Timber Works Tree Care is a quality tree removal service provider that has helped safely remove thousands of trees across Boyce, VA. Our experts have a deep knowledge in arboriculture and practice it through their dedicated service. Contact us at (540) 692-9606 for more information and schedule a tree removal service today!
