Dead + Dying Ash Trees
Why?
Every year, the Emerald Ash Borer Larvae emerge in the spring and munch the cambium layer of the tree under the bark. Over time, the trees lose the ability to transport nutrients up this vascular tissue and effectively choke out.
How can you tell?
Trees first show signs in the canopy. Foliage ceases to grow near top and the trees redirect their energy lower and lower toward the base. You’ll see small branches “shoots” or “sucker branches” beginning to grow near the trunk and on the larger lower branches that send straight up (epicormic growth).
Also, woodpeckers love to eat the larvae. Their hammering pulls bark from the tree and exposes patches of cream-colored sublayers of bark.
What should you do?
We can either prune the dead branches so you can enjoy your tree to some degree its last few years, or we can totally remove it so you can plant another species to take its place as soon as possible.
Pesticides will not, unfortunately, undo the damage done by the Emerald Ash Borer Larvae. Five years ago, the veteran arborist I worked with was telling folks that if they hadn’t been treating their trees for the last decade, it was too late ( and he was positioned to make a lot of money from them doing treatments annually or biannually!) If you’d like to try still, contact us and we can recommend you to a few of the honest, reliable services in the area.
