Bombaci Tree Care, LLC
Independently Owned & Operated
Birch Tree Healthcare
Birch trees are quite popular choices to
dress up a home's landscaping. Their brilliant leaves and their
distinctive bark make them perfect decorative shade trees. That
being said, birch trees also require a little bit of extra TLC. They
need the right type of site and soil conditions in order to reach
full maturity. Having soil that provides all of the necessary
nutrients is critical for a healthy birch, and adding a
Mycorrhizal
fertilizing treatment to the soil can greatly improve overall
health and well being.
It is also important to treat and prevent infestations of the two
most common pests that affect birch trees: the Birch Leaf Miner, and
the Bronze Birch Borer.
The Birch Leaf Miner
The Birch Leaf Miner can be quite devastating to a birch tree. The
problem actually lies with the larvae of the Birch Leaf Miner as it
burrows into the leaves of the tree causing significant damage. The
first clue that your tree may be infested with leaf miner comes from
small green spots on the surface of the leaf.
These spots are usually seen in May and June, and then turn into
splotches that are brown in color. While the leaf miner does not
kill the tree on its own, it does cause it to become weak and more
prone to attacks by the Bronze Birch Borer. Birch Leaf Miner can be
effectively controlled by using systemic treatments.
Bronze Birch Borer
One of the
most lethal pests to the birch tree, the Bronze Birch Borer poses a
serious threat. The adult borers are bronze colored beetles that can
measure up to 2 inches in length. The damage to the tree, however,
is not caused by the actual beetle, but rather the larvae that bore
into into the cambium and phloem layers after emerging from the eggs
laid on the bark. The tunneling of these borers weakens the tree by
disturbing the natural flow of sap.
Evidence of the Bronze Birch Borer can be noted by a progressive
thinning of the tree's crown, starting at the top. After two to
three years, the entire tree will succumb to the infestation. When
caught early, treatments can be quite successful in controlling new
infestations.
For more information on Birch Tree Healthcare services or to arrange
for a free estimate, please
contact us or use the free estimate request link on this page.