May 15, 2009 7:26 pm US/Central
Homeowners Hurry To Protect Trees From Ash Borer
(WCCO)
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"How could you replace a tree that's 60, 70 years old and goes forever into the sky? It's just a wonderful thing to set in the yard and enjoy, so I want it," laughed Power.
CBS
The phones were ringing off the hook Friday at Twin Cities tree care businesses. Homeowners want to know how to protect their trees from the emerald ash borer, a tree-killing beetle found to be in Minnesota a couple of days ago.
Before you consider treatment, you should make sure your tree is an ash.
"Ashes are notorious for leafing out late and dropping early. They usually turn yellow in the fall," said Leben McCormick, a board-certified master arborist with Rainbow Treecare. "They'll normally have seven to 11 leaflets per leaf, and that's pretty distinctive."
The bark is flat and grayish brown with narrow grooves that look like diamonds.
When St. Paul homeowner Sally Power heard about the emerald ash borer outbreak in Wisconsin, she called McCormick, her arborist.
"How could you replace a tree that's 60, 70 years old and goes forever into the sky? It's just a wonderful thing to set in the yard and enjoy, so I want it," laughed Power.
"You only get one tree like this, so you know, they're worth protecting," said McCormick. "If you had a young ash in your yard, I think it would be easier to just replace it than go through the business of trying to protect it."
The business of trying to protect Power's tree doesn't take long. Monte Bofenkamp, a manager at Rainbow Treecare, applied a quick injection of the insecticide Xytect into the soil around the tree.
"The tree basically takes it up, the insects will feed on the tissues of the tree, and as simple as that, it kills them, just like that, when they feed on the trees," explained Bofenkamp. The treatment isn't cheap. An average-sized tree would cost around $200 per year. For a tree the size of Power's, it costs $250 a year to guard against the emerald ash borer.
"It's taken millions of ash trees around the United States, so you don't want it in your yard," said Bofenkamp.
Power doesn't want it in her yard either.
"Hopefully we got it early enough to save it," she said.
She figures the treatment bill is money well spent. It would cost about $2,000 to remove her ash tree if it died.
Here are some signs your ash tree may be in trouble:
--Dying braches near the top of the tree
--Woodpecker damage
--Tiny holes the shape of the letter "D."
If you think your tree is infested, you should report it. The "Arrest the Pest" Hotline number is 651-201-6684 in the metro area or 1-888-545-6684 in greater Minnesota. To report emerald ash borer infestations online, go to
Arrest.The.Pest@state.mn.us.
Paula Engelking, Producer
Contact Paula
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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