Trees in the Kansas City area can suffer from a wide array of diseases, insect infestations and funguses. While tree professionals can spot the signs of a problem pretty easily, for many homeowners this is not the case. Here you can learn about some of the most common pine tree diseases and what treatment is necessary to save the trees in your yard.
Stay Aware and Observe Your Trees Regularly
Keep in mind, the first line of defense for any type of tree disease is prevention. That’s where you play a huge role. If you happen to see any indications of diseases on your trees, you need to call the professionals right away. When you catch the issue early on, you can reduce stress for the tree in question and stop the problem before it overtakes the tree.
Pine Tree Diseases in Kansas City
In particular, pine trees are vulnerable to insects, diseases and environmental stresses. Here you can learn about some of the most common diseases in the area and what needs to be done to keep them from destroying your entire tree.
Tip Blight
This disease affects mugo, ponderosa and Austrian pines and is caused by a fungal disease. You will notice this problem when the newly developed shoots on the tree don’t grow. The needles that are emerging may turn tan or yellow and you will often find dried resin on the tips of the dead shoots.
To cure this disease, the tree must be properly fertilized and watered. Additionally, pine trees need to be sprayed two times during the spring to help prevent the growth of the fungus.
Pine Wilt
The main type of tree affected is Scots pines. However, the mugo, white and Austrian pine may also be affected. The cause of pine wilt is the pinewood nematode, which is spread from tree to tree by the pine sawyer beetle. The nematode will feed and multiply in the resin canals, resulting in wilting of the tree and eventually death.
When this issue occurs, the tree is going to wilt and die in a relatively short period of time. In the beginning the needles are going to turn from green to grey and then yellow and eventually brown. The way to treat the issue is with proper sanitation. It is important to call a professional if this issue is noticed. These trees will have to be cut down, burned and the stump removed. If this action is not taken quickly, the beetles and nematodes may move to healthy trees in the spring months.
As you can see, there are several diseases that may affect pine trees and treatment from the professionals is needed right away. Don’t ignore the problems as they are only going to get worse and spread to more trees.
