Our arborists didn’t spend all winter hibernating. Several Owen Tree Service arborists spent a day with Dr. Dave Roberts of Michigan State University discussing the increasing incidents of oak wilt in southeast Michigan. The seminar took place in the casual, relaxed atmosphere of The Huntsman Club in Metamora.

Several examples were presented on successful methods used to control oak wilt, including trunk injections and trenching to prevent the spread of the disease to other oak trees through root grafts.

Although the primary focus of the workshop revolved around oak wilt and its devastating effects on oak trees, the group also discussed several other common landscape diseases. A long discussion ensued on the relatively new Pear Trellis Rust that is starting to make itself known on flowering pear trees. Control strategies were discussed and Dr. Roberts presented photos showing the effects of the disease and offered suggestions on how to minimize the spread to neighboring pear trees.

Other landscape diseases the group discussed to a lesser extent included phomopsis canker on junipers, Phytophthora root rot on rhododendrons, beech bark disease and maple decline.