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Emerald Ash Borer

The Emerald Ash Borer beetle was found in Winnipeg in December 2017. The reality of the impact this will have on our city, has not been felt yet. 30% of our canopy is Ash, and the mortality rate of ash trees in an infested area is 100%.

The silver lining is that we have had plenty of time to observe and learn from other jurisdictions on how to manage our ash tree population. Managing EAB involves identifying how many and which trees are ash, determining which of the two options
to employ, and determining the timeline according to pest presence, and budget.

WHAT ARE THE TWO OPTIONS?

PREVENTION:

Ash trees can be injected to prevent the beetle larva from feeding and killing the tree. Trilogy uses a biological, organic product called TreeAzin. It does not pose a significant risk to bees or other non-target species. TreeAzin is injected into the tree in early summer, and applications are repeated every two years. TreeAzin may only be applied by a licensed pesticide applicator and one who has been trained by the supplier of TreeAzin. We are happy to inspect your tree, advise if prevention is feasible, and provide a quote.

REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT:

DO NOT wait until your tree is dead before removing it. Studies have shown that ash with less than 50% canopy decline, begin to fail in unpredictable ways. There is a greater risk to your property and greater risk to those involved in removing the tree. Trilogy can help you determine when it is time to remove the tree(s), and can help you budget if you have numerous ash on your property.

As with any hired trades-person or contractor, it is the homeowner’s responsibility to ensure they are insured while working on the property. We are happy to show you our certificates of insurance, just ask!

Replacing ash trees is vital to our neighbourhoods and our entire urban canopy. The loss of 300,000 trees in our city will impact our quality of life and the lives of those who come after us. Trilogy believes in planting a diversity of species and planting the right tree in the right spot. We can help you choose a suitable tree, and plant it with care.

There isn’t an option to do nothing!

What is Dutch Elm Disease?

Dutch Elm Disease is a fungus that spreads through the conductive vessels of an elm tree.  The vessels become blocked, and branches in the canopy quickly begin to die.  The disease spreads easily as elm bark beetles inadvertently carry spores of the fungus from tree to tree as they feed.  Elm bark beetles are attracted to the pheromones that stressed trees emit. DED can also spread underground if the roots of an infected tree have grafted to another elm.

How do I prevent DED?

Dutch Elm Disease is an ongoing problem in Winnipeg, and it is one that we must not lose sight of amongst the upcoming threats to our urban forest. Maintaining healthy trees is vitally important in preventing DED in addition to preventative treatment.

• Preventative Injection treatment. This is a fungicide treatment that prevents the disease from spreading within the vessels when spores are introduced to the tree. Preventative treatments are repeated every three years. They are administered by knowledgeable, experienced arborists who also possess a Manitoba Pesticide Applicators Licence.
• Care for your trees.
  • Regular maintenance pruning (every 3-4 years) to remove dead branches will help your trees conserve energy and re-allocate it to growth or defense. Keeping your trees free of dead branches also reduces how beetles are attracted to your trees.
  • Regular watering during dry periods and just before freeze-up will enable your trees to thrive. Every living cell in your tree needs water to function properly. When trees do not take up enough water, energy production in the leaves decreases and the tree’s internal defense mechanisms become restricted.  For tips on watering, click here.
  • Prevent defoliation from caterpillars or worms. Trees emit a stress hormone in reaction to the worm feeding, which can attract the elm bark beetle. When trees lose their canopy, they use stored energy to re-grow leaves, and they rarely restore the canopy as it was before. This makes identifying symptoms of DED very difficult.  If defoliation occurs in consecutive years, the tree’s energy reserves will become depleted.  The tree will not be able to defend itself during other stress factors such as drought or invasion of decay organisms. Call Trilogy Tree Services in May and June, for help with BTK spraying.
  • Look Up.   Symptoms of DED begin to show at the end of June or beginning of July. Make sure you are constantly checking your trees for symptoms of pale, wilted looking leaves.  If you spot anything suspicious, call our arborists immediately for diagnosis. Once infected, the disease spreads quickly and a tree could become untreatable within a week.
• Remove diseased elms that are near a healthy tree. Although the City of Winnipeg will remove any diseased elm on public or private property, they may not get it done in time. Diseased trees should be removed in the fall and winter before beetles take flight in April.  If a diseased tree is still standing at the next growing season, beetles emerge from it and carry the fungus to the next tree. Also, as the fungus progresses through the tree and into the roots, it will pass through root grafts and infect the neighbouring tree.  Removal of a diseased tree may be the cost of saving the next one.
• Follow the Provincial DED Regulations. Do not prune elms between April 1^st and August 31^st, and do not store elmwood on your property. Link to DED regulations

My tree looks diseased, what should I do?

Contact the arborists at Trilogy Tree Services immediately.  If symptoms are noticed at the onset of infection, treatment may be possible. Treatment involves pruning out the diseased section of the canopy in conjunction with fungicide injections.

Treating diseased trees requires a high level of knowledge and experience. Our arborists have gained knowledge from the two individuals who pioneered fungicide injections in Manitoba.  Our arborists will bring the required skills, and determine if your tree can be saved.

 

How do Preventative Injections work?

Using specialized equipment, the fungicide is injected into the root flare of the tree.  Choosing the correct number and locations of injection sites on an elm tree is crucial for uniform fungicide distribution in the crown. As the tree pulls water up to the tips of the branches, it also moves the fungicide throughout the canopy.  The fungicide moves up from point of injection, therefore it is not possible to get fungicide into the root system.  This is why infection through a root graft is fatal.

Trilogy Tree Services has a dedicated team of arborists that inject elms during the optimal time frame of July and August. Treatments remain effective for three years. The cost of this treatment is based on tree size.

 

Does banding my trees prevent DED?

No. Banding your trees will aide in reducing cankerworm defoliation.  Cankerworms are the only harmful insect a tree band will control, unfortunately, many beneficial insects also get stuck to the band.  Tree bands offer limited control because once the band is covered with insects or debris, the moths are able to crawl over it.  Spraying the tree with a biological product such as BTK provides more effective control, that is still environmentally friendly.

Storm Damage

Every once in a while, Mother Nature reminds us who’s boss! Storm damaged trees on our properties can be quite alarming and in some situations, hazardous.  Remember, your safety is far more important than the disarray of your yard.

 

• Do not walk beneath any portion of the failed limb or tree. Trees are unstable and move in unpredictable ways. Often they continue to move and settle after the initial break.

• Stay away from downed utility lines.  Assume any downed line is energized and call Manitoba Hydro (204) 480-5900. Avoid touching anything near the downed line and be aware that downed power lines can be hidden in brush and foliage.

 

Believe it or not, limb failure and broken branches are a natural occurrence during storms for good reason, and trees have a process for dealing with it.  Once the hazards have been removed, we can assess whether the tree can be salvaged. Sometimes the tree will benefit from pruning or structural supports, and sometimes we can only step back and let the tree do its thing.  Trees are amazingly resilient and can often recover with time.  We just have to be patient, and monitor how the tree responds.

What are support systems?

Tree support systems entail the use of various hardware or specialized materials to add support to weak areas of a tree’s structure. They are always customized to the tree and vary depending on structure and defect.  Support systems do not eliminate risk. A well configured, working support system will reduce risk, prevent defects from worsening, or add support while allowing the tree to continue building its own supporting wood fibers.

Some methods used in support systems are cabling, bracing, and propping. We commonly use Cobra Cable in our support systems.

When does a tree need a support system?

A tree may require additional support if there is a risk that a portion of the canopy will fail. There are many signs of potential failure that our arborist’s trained eye can spot, some appear very slight and knowledge of tree biology is required.

If a tree has cracked and split but hasn’t failed yet, a support system may prevent the defect from worsening.  While cabling and bracing are used as a remedy in such cases, it is more beneficial to install systems preventatively. In a preventative application, the cable or brace is adding support to the strength that the tree already has.

Trilogy Tree Services Ltd. has ISA Qualified Risk Assessors on the team. They are proficient in identifying defects or potential defects. An Assessor can design and install any system that will add support, and reduce risk to your property.

What is Cobra Cable?

Although the principles of cabling have remained the same for one hundred years, technology has evolved to provide non-invasive, dynamic systems that support limbs and tree canopies. This product is known as Cobra Cable.

Cobra cable is a rope-like material that has excellent shock-absorbing properties. It is made up of UV protected materials and provides restraint characteristics that mimic the tree’s natural reaction to wind. In a gust, tree limbs usually collapse upward and then out in an exaggerated manner. Cobra cable allows enough movement to encourage self-supporting growth in light wind but is there to halt excessive flailing that might cause failure at the union.

Cobra cable can be used preventatively if it is installed prior to a split. It can be installed in co-dominant trees or limbs with potentially weak unions to provide support while encouraging ongoing strong, healthy growth.

What is bracing?

Bracing is a technique our arborists use when a union is already split. Depending on the size of the tree and the split, two or more rods are installed at or above the union. In some cases, the tree can actually be pulled together to close the split! Cables are also installed in the canopy to support the bracing rods at the supported union.

Why should have my trees pruned?

Tree pruning is often done for a variety of reasons that range from improving the health of your trees to making them and the surrounding area safer.

 

When is the best time to prune my tree?

There are many benefits to pruning during the dormant season, but it’s not the only time of year we can prune trees.

Determining when to prune your tree or shrub should take into account the species, the type of pruning, its health or vitality, susceptibility to insect or disease, or the reason why you’re pruning it.  Factoring all these considerations is the job of an arborist.

Our Certified Arborists will help you weigh the options, and make the best decision based on your pruning objective.

 

What type of pruning do my trees need?

This depends largely on your objective for pruning.

If you want to maintain or improve the health of your trees, they would benefit from a canopy clean-up or possibly some thinning. During a canopy clean-up, our arborists will prune out dead, diseased or dying branches, crossing or rubbing branches, and while in the tree they will do a general inspection of tree health.

If your trees hang down or grow so low that they interfere with your activities or property, our arborists could help by elevating the canopy. This means the arborist will prune off branches or limbs to increase the clearance between the branches and the roof, yard, driveway, wires, or pool.

Pruning immature trees regularly (every 3-5 years) is extremely important to its long term development. Our arborists will determine which branches will become the main structural scaffold of the tree when it is mature. It is also important that our arborists recognize and remove any limbs that will develop into structural problems.

 

How should I maintain my shrubs?

Maintain your shrubs for health, a tidy appearance and to maintain them at the desired size.

While some shrubs take to shearing and hedging well, most shrubs benefit from the pruning techniques we use for trees. When our arborists use this technique, they are able to maintain a shrub’s natural shape, to promote flowering from year to year and they are able to maintain a healthier shrub that can fend of insects and diseases with more success.

What can I do to keep my trees healthy?

Good maintenance practices including pruning are more often better for trees than a blanketed application of fertilizer. Other practices include keeping the tree well-watered during the summer months and in fall just before freeze-up.  Using organic mulch (without landscape fabric) beneath the tree and extending beyond the drip line as much as possible has a number of benefits.  Compost applied annually to the surface or incorporated into the soil has advantages over a synthetic granular fertilizer.  The key to having healthy trees is to evolve your landscape into having a healthy soil ecosystem, which could take a few years to see results. This is where organic mulch and compost fertilizer are important.