A healthy tree is a beautiful and safe tree. Unfortunately, all states and communities have certain blights, diseases, and weather patterns that threaten tree health. Indiana is no exception. As a homeowner in this state, you should be aware of the primary threats to tree health in Indiana.
1. Armillaria Root Rot
A number of root rot diseases can infect your tree. These cause the tree's roots to deteriorate, impeding the tree's ability to extract water and nutrients from the soil. Armillaria root rot is a rather common root rot disease in Indiana, and it affects conifers and hardwood species.
Armillaria root rot causes brackets, or mushrooms, to appear at the base of the tree or on any roots that are near the surface. Various branches will begin dying back. If you suspect that your tree has armillaria root rot, have the dead and dying branches removed so they do not pose a danger to your home or family. Also, keep the area around the tree well-drained, as the fungus will develop more slowly in dry soil.
2. Thunderstorms
When a thunderstorm rolls through the Midwest, it can leave extensive tree damage in its path. Wind and heavy rain can crack and break branches.
Look over your trees after every big storm. If you notice any broken branches, have them removed to reduce the chances of decay setting in around the break. Avoid over-pruning and attempting to even out the tree after storm damage. Missing branches and bare spots may look funny initially, but the tree will soon develop new growth to cover these bare areas.
If you see any cracks in a major branch or trunk after a storm, contact a tree care company immediately. Even small cracks can grow rapidly, allowing a tree or large branch to fall in your yard.
3. Oak Wilt
If you have an oak tree on your land, then make sure you watch it for signs of oak wilt, a deadly fungal infection that has been seen in oak trees in Indiana. The primary symptom of the disease is the death and wilting of leaves. In red and black oaks, leaves near the top of the tree tend to die first, and in white and bur oaks, scattered limbs develop leaf death.
There is no cure for oak wilt, and it is highly infectious. For this reason, you should have any tree infected with oak wilt removed from your land sooner rather than later. Taking action early on helps reduce the spread of oak wilt to nearby trees, and it also reduces your chances of damage due to weak, fallen limbs.
4. Anthracnose
If the leaves of your shade tree develop brown, dead segments along the leaf margins, anthracnose is probably to blame. This fungal infection can affect many different types of trees, and in severe cases, it causes trees to lose leaves. Anthracnose is most prevalent after a particularly wet spring.
Thankfully, anthracnose looks worse than it is. Although it might leave your tree susceptible to other infections, anthracnose won't kill a tree. Have your tree trimmed to reduce the density of the foliage in subsequent years; this will help increase airflow through the branches and keep them dry. Rake up all leaves in the fall to further guard against re-infection.
5. Boring Insects
A number of insects bore holes in the bark of trees. In the process, they weaken the tree and may also introduce infectious fungi to its interior wood. Emerald ash borers are bright green beetles that bore into ash trees. Black stem borers may similarly bore into oak, walnut, hickory, birch, and cherry trees.
You can make trees less appealing to boring insects by keeping them trimmed, fertilized, and otherwise healthy. If you do spot boring insects on your tree, have your tree service come take a look. The recommended action will depend on the species of insect and how much damage it has done.