Why Emerald Ash Borer Treatment Injections are Time Sensitive

Treating Ash Trees is the only way to protect them from the invasive Emerald Ash Borer Beetle. But, did you know that there are just two small windows of time each year to perform these preventative injections? Read on to learn why!

For the last 17 years, the U.S. has been battling the Emerald Ash Borer. These shiny green beetles have decimated millions of Ash Trees across the country! If you’re a homeowner with an Ash Tree on your property, you need to have your tree inspected now to see if it can receive treatments.

To learn more about the destruction this insect causes to Ash Trees, check out Why Emerald Ash Borer is an Insect You Can’t Afford to Ignore!

Emerald Ash Borer Cause Big Problems for Homeowners

If you’re a homeowner with an Ash Tree on your property, you need to know that it’s not a matter of if your tree will become infested, it’s a matter of when! This invasive insect can cause problems for homeowners in many ways:

• They kill Ash Trees fast! It only takes 2-3 years for an Ash Tree to die once infested
• They can cost you a lot of money in property damage! Infested Ash trees become incredibly dry and brittle, making them safety hazards as they drop limbs around your yard
• A Dead Ash Tree can become a costly removal! Once an Ash tree dies, it needs to be removed ASAP. The brittle tree is so dry that it can break apart in unexpected ways, causing significant and expensive damage. Additionally, tree climbers cannot safely climb Ash Trees that have dried out for too long. The job will become much more expensive if special equipment, such as a crane, needs to be brought in to remove the tree.

Treatments are Time-Sensitive

There is just a small window of time twice each year to treat Ash Trees to protect them from Emerald Ash Borer. We caught up with Rodney Stahl, Jr., Giroud Plant Health Care Manager, last week to learn more about the timing of these injections. He was out on a property in Huntingdon Valley, PA, conducting a training session with his full team. The homeowners have 15 Ash Trees, and Giroud has been treating them for several years.

“There’s definitely a science to these treatments,” explains Rodney. “The tree can only take up the injections if it almost completely leafed out, and for Ash trees that’s usually around mid-May. But if we have a long winter, that leafout could be pushed back.”

This year, trees began leafing out on time. However, due to some unexpected late frosts, the leafout was slowed down a bit. Rodney had to make adjustments to treatment schedules, and it’s an ongoing project throughout the season.

“We can only treat Ash Trees when the temperature is between 40 and 90 degrees, and we can’t treat them if we’ve had 3 consecutive days of temps in the 90’s,” he continued. “The ground can’t be too dry, but it can’t be too wet either. It has to be a perfect situation or else you could shock the tree and that’ll cause it to defoliate.”

That’s why it’s vital to have your Ash Trees inspected by an ISA Certified Giroud Arborist and performed by a Certified Giroud Plant Health Care Technician. Every member of the Giroud team receives ongoing training, hands-on experience, and they are required to keep informed about industry standards across the field!

Steps to Take if You Have an Ash Tree

By the time you notice that your Ash tree doesn’t look healthy, Emerald Ash Borers have already done significant internal damage. The only way to know the best course of action for your tree is to schedule an inspection with your ISA Certified Giroud Arborst NOW. He will evaluate the tree and look for the tell-tale signs of Emerald Ash Borer infestation, including:

• D shaped exit wounds from the adult borers leaving the tree after feeding
• Woodpecker damage- these birds feed on Emerald Ash Borer Larvae
• Crown die-back- more than half the tree’s crown must still be alive and in full leaf in order for it to be able to absorb the treatment

If your Ash Tree is still healthy, your Giroud Arborist will recommend Tree-age trunk injections. Tree-age is the only treatment that fully protects Ash Trees from Emerald Ash Borers. The experts at Giroud Tree and Lawn know that Tree-age provides the best control against Emerald Ash Borer and it lasts for two years.

If it is too late for your Ash Tree to be saved, he will recommend removal ASAP. When it comes to a dry, brittle, dead Ash Tree, it doesn’t take much for it to cause damage!

Take Action now to Protect Your Ash Tree!

Schedule your FREE Ash Tree Inspection with your Giroud Arborist to determine whether tree can be treated or needs to be removed. Don’t wait until it’s too late in the season to protect your tree with these vital injections!

Call 215-682-7704 Today to Schedule a FREE Evaluation of Your Ash Trees while there’s still time!