People get sick. Trees get sick. Though we do love cutting, there are often other treatment options when the problem is a sick tree. If you think your tree might have one of these or other tree diseases, look up “tree treatment services near me” to get it assessed by a professional. 

Spotting common tree diseases

Some tree diseases only alter your tree’s appearance but are ultimately harmless. Others can take a serious toll on the health of your tree and spread to others around it. Here are three common diseases that could be ailing your trees. 

Leaf rust

This fungal disease is trademarked by yellow, orange, and red spots on the leaves of hardwood trees like birch, oak, maple, poplar, and ash trees. This leaf disease causes leaves to fall early in the season. 

Tar spot

Yet another fungal leaf disease, tar spot will change in appearance over time. In late spring or early summer you will notice yellow or light green spots on the leaves of holly, sycamore or maple trees. These spots will turn black in mid to late summer. Though not usually dangerous to the tree’s health, it is visually unappealing. 

Cankers

Cankers in trees result from a tissue infection resulting from an open wound and causing the section of bark to die. Fungi or bacteria infect the wound causing brown or red oval shaped lesions to appear. Cankers can weaken the structural integrity of the tree and cause branches to die. 

Tree treatment services 

If you suspect your trees have one of these or another disease, call in the experts for a tree treatment service. We want to get your trees back to health and keep them standing if at all possible using other treatment options. 

Treatment for leaf rust

If your tree is diagnosed with leaf rust we will start by trying to remove as many infected leaves as possible. We would then spray the tree with a rust control product containing fungicide. However, there is no approved chemical spray for edible plants. 

Treatment for tar spot

Due to the way tar spot spreads, it is very difficult to prevent it from spreading to other mature trees. For younger trees, we can spray fungicide to give it a chance to fight off invaders. For this disease prevention is key. Getting rid of fallen leaves can help stop tar spot spores from spreading to nearby trees. Trees struggling with tar sports often also struggle with excess moisture. Eliminating standing water around these trees can help prevent moisture buildup.

Treatment for cankers

There is currently no effective chemical treatment for eliminating cankers. However, we can use chemical treatments to help ward off infections and pests from compounding the damage and further weakening the tree. Dormant oil, insecticide, and fungicide can be applied to the tree or affected area in the spring and summer to help keep the infected area clear. 

If your tree has a disease and you are looking for a tree treatment service near you, we can help diagnose, treat and give you tips for prevention and future care. We want to keep your trees healthy and standing. Treatment and prevention now can save you from needing a tree removal down the road.