4 Tips For Removing A Diseased Tree

Posted on: 9 May 2023

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Tree diseases are typically viral, bacterial, or fungal in nature. Although some issues, like foliage mildews, can be treated and cured, other diseases are fatal to the tree. Prompt removal of trees suffering fatal afflictions is necessary if you want to prevent the disease from spreading to other trees in the landscape. 

1. Minimize Debris Fall

A declining tree will likely have a lot of dead and dying wood that will fall as debris during removal. Unfortunately, each bit of tree ]] could be carrying pathogens that could be spread to other nearby trees. Your removal service will begin by cutting the limbs off the tree trunk. They may tarp the ground to catch the diseased limbs, or they may lower larger branches down with a pulley system. Both methods prevent the debris from coming in contact with nearby plants.

2. Haul Away the Remains

It's not uncommon to run a removed tree through a wood chipper to make mulch for your garden beds. This is a mistake if a tree is being removed due to disease, as those disease pathogens can survive in the mulched wood and get spread all around your yard. Instead, request that the tree service haul away any debris or wood chips instead of leaving them on your property.

3. Get Rid of the Stump

The stump should be removed at the same time as the tree to minimize the spread of pathogens above the soil surface. If it is a small tree, your service will be able to dig out the stump and remove it completely. This isn't always possible with larger tree stumps. For these, grinding out the stump is the best and quickest option. Your tree service will grind the stump down as much as possible, and then they will rake up the remaining sawdust and wood chips for removal. 

4. Watch for Suckers

Suckers consist of new growth that can come up from any remaining large underground roots. These suckers can be infected with the same pathogens that killed the main tree, so prompt removal is needed as soon as you spot one. Cut off all suckers below the soil surface. This kills the sucker and prevents pathogens from spreading around the yard.

Contact a tree removal service if you have a diseased tree on your property. They can provide targeted advice for the specific tree and disease problem that you are dealing with.