Arborists have been trying to draw parallels between trees and human existence for a long time. Like people, trees need food, water, and medical attention. Trees are essential, and so is knowing what diseases might attack them so that you can potentially avoid contracting fatal airborne or vector-borne bacterial and viral infections. Our ISA-certified arborists in the Tri-Cities area at Promier Tree share on the blog today how healthy trees can become diseased and die and how you can protect your property and tree health.
Disease Transmission
Diseases that affect trees are easily contagious and can spread naturally. For instance, spores dispersed into the air by an infected tree can be carried by the wind to other trees in the area. In addition, birds and insects that come into contact with a diseased tree have the potential to spread that disease, even if they are at a great distance from one another.
Although the natural causes are challenging to stop, there is one disease transmission method that is controllable. Our Bristol ISA-certified arborists explain that tools and equipment used to care for your trees could be to blame. As a result, tree diseases can easily hide in the tool and equipment nooks and crannies and infect your trees unless properly cleaned between each use. As tree care experts, we take necessary precautions to prevent this from happening. But unfortunately, homeowners attempting to cut or prune their own trees may not be as knowledgeable.
Reduce Disease Risks
Trees are consistently at risk for diseases that pass through natural methods. However, there are some ways you can protect your trees and reduce their disease risk and increase their lifespan. First, it’s crucial to identify the tree and shrub species on your property and determine which pathogens can negatively affect them. Secondly, when hiring a Johnson City ISA-certified arborist to care for your trees and shrubs, be sure they are familiar with potential illnesses and will only bring clean equipment onto your property.
Below are a few examples of how the right company can do the job without risking tree health:
- Virus or Viroid, or Oozing Cankers – Whether the disease is vascular fungi, bacteria, or a virus, it’s essential to keep equipment clean to prevent spreading the disease to other trees.
- Trim Dry Cankers – It’s best to wait until cankers are dry before attempting to trim them to prevent disease spread.
- Irreplaceable Plants – It’s imperative to clean your shears before each cut when trimming irreplaceable plants.
- Disinfect – Use a disinfectant that is proven to clean tree pruning equipment effectively, and that is safe to use.
ISA-Certified Arborists in Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol, Tennessee
When the tree in question is older, discovering that it or multiple trees on your property have a disease can be particularly disheartening. However, contact our Kingsport ISA-certified arborists at Promier Tree so that we can conduct a tree health evaluation and treatments they might require to stay safe. If you think a tree on your property may have a disease, please call our office at (423) 765-2626 or contact us online to schedule an arborist consultation.