Is This Foursome Tee-ing You Off?
By Zac Purinton, Arborjet Inside Sales/Technical Support
As a former Assistant Superintendent, I understand all the things that can get in the way when managing 150 or more acres of turf, trees, and landscape. When problems arise, it is not sustainable to simply remove every tree. Arborjet is here to help you with that pesky foursome including insects, disease, and drought management so you don’t have to.
Player 1
Oak Wilt – The pesky disease spreads underground through root graphs and above ground by insects moving from one oak to another. Red Oak (Quescus rubra) and Southern Live Oak (Quecrus virginiana) are both quite susceptible. Look for leaves that are browning from the tips and moving inward towards the stem. Farther along limbs will die off and fungal mats may develop under the bark causing “bubbles” or “eggs” and possibly cracks. Untreated, the infected oaks will die, sometimes within months. Propizol® (14.3% propiconazole) injected at the early stages in infected oaks, as well as preventatively into surrounding oaks will give you the best chance at saving them.
Player 2
Emerald Ash Borer – EAB reared its little green head in Detroit, Michigan in 2002 and has spread to Ash trees nearly nationwide since then. The metallic green beetle is a mere 10-15 mm in length, but packs a wallop on the tree. Eggs are laid on the bark, larvae hatch and burrow into the tree to feed, larvae feed and pupate under the bark, and finally adults burrow out to spread and lay eggs. Canopy dieback, epicormic (new) branches forming below effected areas, and very small holes (3mm in diameter) are signs of infection. Injecting TREE-äge® before 40% dieback can save your Ash trees and protect them for two years.
Player 3
Pine Bark Beetle – Coming in numerous species, Pine Bark Beetles can ravage and destroy beautiful pine trees, especially if under drought stress. If you see pitch tubes, reddish boring dust, adult exit holes, or yellowing needles, you are probably seeing symptoms of an infestation. An injection of TREE-äge will provide you two years of control.
Player 4
Drought – Probably the most common issue these days, drought is playing a major role in tree decline. Weakening trees, making them more susceptible to disease and infestation, more brittle, and much less attractive, drought is making trees dangerous. But you can’t just cut down every tree. How else can you protect a dogleg, create shade on hot days, reduce your mowing area? Trees. And removal and replacement is an incredibly impractical option. A single application of Shortstop® (22.3% paclobutrazol) will reduce top growth and increase fine root hairs, giving your trees better water and nutrient uptake. More fine root hairs also create a larger carbohydrate reserve for better overwintering and stress management. Another solution Arborjet offers is NutriRoot®, a moisture manager/fertilizer combination product. Consisting of humates, humectants, surfactants, kelp extract, and a fertilizer package, you can promote root growth, improve soil moisture, and provide nutrients to your trees and plants.
Want to learn more about how Arborjet can help on the course? Visit our Golf Page or Contact Us!
