BUYER BEWARE!

The landscape, tree health care and tree service businesses are just like any business and the consumer of these services must be careful when purchasing.  There are practitioners who take advantage of the fact that most homeowners have little knowledge about trees.

Like purchasing other professional services, it is important to do your homework.

But how can you check out companies or the claims they make?  This article will address some of the common issues and the mis-information that is disseminated regarding ash treatments and diseased evergreen treatments.

ASH BORER TREATMENTS

The current best practice in emerald ash borer management is the injection of TREE-Age (emamectin) into the tree at two year intervals.  The method and dosage is defined and detailed in the labelling of the product, which is produced by Arborjet company.

Some companies may suggest that different dosages or treatment intervals are appropriate and may offer lower prices as a result.  Some may offer alternative treatments or methods with different chemicals, but there is good evidence that those methods are clearly inferior.  Refer to the insecticide options report and read page nine at this link:  

http://emeraldashborer.info/files/Multistate_EAB_Insecticide_Fact_Sheet.pdf 

Currently in the tri-city area there are several companies who are using the recommendations of the universities and of the Arborjet company regarding treatment intervals and dosages of TREE-Age.  Bay Landscaping, Garpiel Landscaping and Tri-City Tree Doctor are in compliance with these recommendations.  If you consider contracting with another company, be sure that they are using Arborjet brand TREE-Age and the proper dosage.  DO NOT ACCEPT injection of any other product or any other system on injection.  All others are clearly inferior and you may be wasting your money, and more importantly, you may lose your valuable trees.   See the product label at this link:  

http://www.arborjet.com/label/8.5x11TREEageInsert4_19A.PDF 

If you are unable to decipher this information, any of the companies mentioned would be happy to tell you the current specific recommendation for your tree.  Just measure the circumference of your tree and call with that information and we will tell you the recommended dosage.  Or you could contact Arborjet and they could tell you.

Comparison shopping has value, but only if you are comparing apples to apples.  If another company can give you a better price for the same dosage and method, then hire that company.  Then all you have to worry about is whether they will actually do exactly what they say they will do.

And ask for a money back guarantee.  We have learned by over 10,000 ash treatments that we can offer a guarantee when using TREE-Age in correct dosage and correct technique.  

EVERGREEN FUNGUS DISEASES:  Diplodia Tip Blight and Needlecast Diseases of pine and spruce

Fungal diseases of evergreens like tip blight in pines and needlecast in pines and spruces can be managed successfully by properly timed sprays with specific fungicides labelled for those diseases.  You can read about it on the fungal disease recovery page.

These diseases require specific chemicals, specific timing and good technique.  The proper chemicals are discussed in the fungal disease recovery page.  Make sure that the company you hire is using those chemicals and timing recommendations.  There is much material available on the internet that confirms these as the best practice recommendations.  See info at this link:

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/2007/4-18/conifer.html 

or this link:  http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/pdf/3041.pdf 

What about injections?  If you search the internet regarding injections for fungal diseases, you will find many returns suggesting that injections can be used for these diseases.  Most of those references are to websites of tree companies that sell this treatment.  Unfortunately, the only references to scientific university based trials of this treatment show no positive results.  There is a page in this website about injections for fungal diseases.  These do not include evergreens.  We have not yet found any good scientific data or good studies done confirming the efficacy of injections for evergreen fungal diseases.  In fact, a 2009 article in the Journal of Arboriculture and Urban Forestry reported on a four year trial of several different fungicide injections for Diplodia Tip Blight of Austrian Pine and found no significant improvement from any of them.  See link:

http://joa.isa-arbor.com/request.asp?JournalID=1&ArticleID=3083&Type=2

and the ohioline link above is from 2008 and does not mention fungicide injections as a treatment approach.

One company reports that they have tried propiconazole trunk injection and claim to have shown improvement of Diplodia Tip Blight. We have not seen the data or the methods used in their treatment trial.  We will give due attention to any scientific studies we see that prove efficacy of injections, but for now it would be wise for the consumer to purchase tried and true treatments.