Pest and Disease Control Toronto
Jack of All Trees
In Ontario alone, there are around 10,000 species of insects and mites with an equal number of diseases. Often a tree becomes diseased because of poor tree maintenance such as pruning at the wrong time. For example, we know not to prune Oak trees or Elm trees in peak season as this leaves them vulnerable to Oak Wilt and Dutch elm disease.
The starting point for pest and disease control is to prevent diseased trees through sound tree management practices. Secondly, you should regularly inspect your trees for signs of pests or diseases. Detecting and treating tree diseases early can save the life of the tree and surrounding trees. Finally, if pests or diseases are detected the proper treatment regime needs to be put in place.
Acting quickly can make the difference between us being able to save a tree or not. So don’t hesitate to call us if you need a professional to check your trees.
Diagnosing plant health problems
The first step in pest and disease control is the identification of tree species. Tree diseases and pests vary across species so it’s critical to correctly identify the tree species. Identifying plant species is also a legal requirement before applying pesticides.
Plant health problems can be divided into two categories – living and non-living. Non-living causes can be anything from moisture and temperature extremes, machine damage or poor soil. They are non-infections. Living causes include viruses, bacteria, fungi, phytoplasmas, nematodes and parasitic plants. It is important to quickly diagnose living causes of tree problems as they can be infectious and spread rapidly. We have seen the devastation that has been caused to Ontario’s trees from the Emerald Ash Borer, for example.
Please contact a qualified, certified arborist as soon as you notice any signs of pests or diseases in your trees.
There are thousands of potential tree diseases in Ontario that can devastate our native trees. Diseased trees can decline rapidly. In many cases, homeowners leave a tree to decay for too long making it impossible to save. It is then more expensive to remove as it is unsafe to climb. So regular inspection of the trees on your property for signs of decay is essential. Visibly decaying wood is usually white or brown in colour. But decay is not always obvious so you need to be alert to the signs of decay. For example, the presence of fruiting bodies such as brackets, mushrooms, and conks.
It is far more economical to identify any plant health problems early and deal with them than to deal with the aftermath of diseased trees. If you would like to talk to an expert arborist about a tree inspection please get in touch with Jack of All Trees.