Common Tree Diseases and How to Treat Them

Trees are the essence of any garden. They offer a beautiful landscape and play a huge environmental role.

However, they start to slowly die when they fall victim to diseases. Be it fungal diseases or bacteria, they have an effect on your greenery and your surroundings as a whole.

Learning the most common tree diseases and how to combat them is vital in protecting your beloved green space. Let’s explore all the details.

Fungal Diseases

They are one of the most common diseases in trees and can ruin the entire garden because they are highly contagious.

Powdery Mildew

This is a fungus disease characterised by white powder over the leaves, stems, and buds of the infected tree.

It inhabits warm, dry areas and can turn out to be highly pathogenic for species like oak and sycamore. Infection is at first manifested through stunted growth, curled leaves, and drops of leaves. This weakens the tree over time.

Powdery mildew is treated using organic fungicides. Potassium bicarbonate or neem oil-based products help in controlling this disease effectively.

The treatment, in most cases, is pretty straightforward: the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves are covered.

Root Rot

This is a serious fungal infection that is brought on by oversaturation of the soil. Your trees become an ideal environment in which pathogenic fungi thrive.

Symptoms include a general decline in health, characterised by yellowing of the leaves and wilting. In severe cases of advanced rot, roots that are excavated will be dark and mushy.

The first step in addressing root rot is to correct the drainage issue. Improving it in the soil is vital and can be achieved by adding organic matter into compacted soil.

Additionally, the inclusion of chemical fungicides aimed at certain fungal pathogens is advantageous. Always follow the instructions given by the manufacturer on how to effectively apply them.

In severe cases, removal and replacement of heavily infected trees should be done to stop the spreading of the disease.

Bacterial Diseases

They can greatly weaken the health of trees and cause a critical injury, if not controlled. An infection of this nature manifests in several ways and causes wilting, as well as cankers.

Bacterial Canker

This is another major disease of trees, especially cherries and plums. This issue is diagnosed when dark sunken wounds develop on the branches and fruit.

It contaminates the pruning tools and water. Thereafter, this causes an infection inside the tree.

Bacterial canker is cured by pruning, which removes the source of the infection within the tree. This is usually done during dry weather to avoid further spread. Sterilise all tools between cuts to avoid contamination.

Fire Blight

This is a disease that specifically infects apple and pear trees. The first symptom of fire blight is wilt, followed by blackened shoots that look like burnt wood.

It spreads rapidly during warm and wet weather. Fighting fire blight is simple. You just have to remove the infected branches. However, this requires cutting away branches below visible cankers.

If your trees catch this illness, use bactericides during early spring to help prevent infection later on.

Viral Diseases

They cause a reduction in growth and fruit quality. Such infections often bear symptoms like discolouration of leaves and stunted development.

Mosaic Virus

This is a common viral infection in many plants, including trees. It causes the leaves to moult with irregular patches of discolouration that prevent photosynthesis and, hence, reduce yield.

There is no cure for an infected tree, so the most effective action in combating the further spread of the disease is removing and destroying affected plants.

Leaf Roll

This virus commonly affects plants like tomatoes and peppers. It causes the leaves to curl and roll down.

The key here is prevention. Apply safe pest control to protect your trees.

Unfortunately, like many viral diseases, there is no treatment for this. Safely remove the trees to prevent further infections.

Pest-Related Diseases

Pests usually act as conduits for pathogens. This sometimes can cause them to harm the plants themselves.

Emerald Ash Borer

This is an exotic insect responsible for the death and decline of ash trees.

Infestations will show signs over time, including canopy dieback and exit holes in the bark. In this situation, removing infected trees is crucial to prevent further spread.

Pine Beetles

Another significant tree problem is when a fatal fungus is introduced under the skin of the tree. It then disrupts the flow of water and nutrients within the tree.

Symptoms include brown needles which can kill the trees in extreme cases.

Some of the management strategies include monitoring the health status from time to time, thinning stress reduction, and using insecticides.

In places with high infestations, it is necessary to remove and dispose of trees to prevent future contamination.

Nutritional Disorders

Most nutritional upsets in trees occur due to a deficiency in vital elements. This, in effect, impacts their health.

Early identification of these problems can enhance the resilience of trees.

Chlorosis

A well-known nutritional disorder in plants, chlorosis gives leaves a yellow colour from low levels of chlorophyll.

This is caused by a deficiency of some essential elements like nitrogen, iron, or magnesium. This issue reduces the photosynthetic capability of any tree and impacts its growth.

Test the soil to know the exact deficiency of nutrients and treat chlorosis. Using the right fertilisers or soil amendments will allow your trees to become healthy again.

Leaf Scorch

This results in leaves that have brown margins caused by the limitation of water or nutrients. Leaf scorch particularly happens during periods of high temperature.

Managing this problem depends on watering constantly and applying mulch to help retain the necessary moisture in the soil.

Additionally, regular fertilisation will enable the tree to maintain its health and prevent further problems.

When to Call a Professional Gardener

Although home gardeners usually have the proper knowledge to treat tree illnesses, sometimes the problems are too huge.

While it’s fairly simple to apply a fungicide, deciding if a viral infection is beyond treatment isn’t always an easy choice. If you’re worried about the health of your garden, you can call an expert gardener to help.

Conclusion About Tree Diseases

Trees are just like us humans. They can catch infections or lose their health due to insufficient nutrition. However, they can’t tell us when they’re sick.

That’s why you have to stay aware of common signs of tree diseases and how to treat them. This guide is an amazing starting point, especially for beginners, to notice a tree disease before it becomes too problematic.