Our Company Provides a Complete Array of Oak Wilt Services
Oak Wilt Services
There are two main protocols for Oak Wilt that have been established over the last 30 years. They are fungicide injection and suppression trenching.
Fungicide injection involves the placement of a chemical in selected trees that are immediately under threat of Oak Wilt infection. While best used as a preventative (before symptoms arise), some trees respond to treatment after they become symptomatic. Much more information about our injection process can be found here.
Suppression trenching is used to sever the interconnected root system between a diseased area and a healthy area. Trenching is best suited for areas with little buried infrastucture (generally rural or suburban properties). The purpose of severing the root system is to prevent the transmission of the disease through the root system. Much more information about our trenching procedures can be found here.
Our Service Area Includes all of Central Texas
Although we are based in Wimberley (near Austin) we travel throughout Central Texas. If you live between Dallas-Fort Worth and the gulf coast we have probably been in your area to visit you or a neighbor.
The highlighted area on the map to the right shows the scope of our service area. Not every location is shown, of course, because all the names would not fit!
If you have an Oak Wilt problem and are not located in our service area, we can probably recommend an expert who can assist you.
Related Tree Health Services
Pre-purchase inspections
One of your largest investments is your property. As a normal part of the due diligence process, you should spend the small amount of time and money required in an Oak Wilt evaluation prior to purchase committment. In this way you can protect yourself from unpleasant surprises down the road. Our Certified Arborists have conducted many property inspections resulting in the buyer understanding the Oak Wilt situation relating to a particular property or area.
If you are selling a property, it makes good sense to understand potential Oak Wilt problems before placing a property on the market. Full disclosure of tree diseases to a potential buyer up front will save money, time and avoidable legal problems after the sale.
Inspections are generally inexpensive and can be accompanied with a written report if required.
Reports and Maps
Oak Wilt management is an ongoing process that can span several years. Multiple treatment phases, trench installations and surveys may occur over this time period. Our company has the ability to build a treatment portfolio mapping out where work was performed and when. Especially important on larger properties, these reports and maps are invaluable as time passes and memories fade.
Using GPS technology, maps can be overlayed on aerial or satellite imagery (as shown in the sample) or plotted onto conventional property surveys. Oak Wilt Specialists has the computer expertise required to either supply completed maps (both hardcopy and electronic copy on CD ROM) or to supply you with just the raw GPS data.
Documentation is most helpful during a property transaction to provide a record of a diligent and thoughtful Oak Wilt managment effort.
Worm Spraying
Defoliation from Oak Leaf Rollers and Canker Worms can be devasting in Central Texas. Periodic defoliation from these pests can be tolerated by healthy trees. However, when drought and Oak Wilt damage are added the the mix, tree health can be severely impacted. Striking during the spring just after tender new leaves are formed, these insects can strip a tree bare in a week or less. The worms also are a nuisance around walks and patios as they trail off the trees on silk threads. Our company provides insect spraying services during the spring to prevent the hatch of leaf eating pests. Your trees are healthier because they do not have to push out a second flush of leaves. Contact us in February to schedule this treatment.
Ball Moss Removal
Ball Moss (tillandsia recurvata) is a plant that grows on the branches of trees. Similar to Spanish Moss but not nearly as attractive, this pest is generally not a major threat to tree health. However, if the infestation is large enough, the moss can effectively shade out leaves and reduce the canopy of the tree. If the tree is also struggling with Oak Wilt this can be a problem. In addition, if the tree is already thin due to disease damage, the ball moss is more visible causing the tree to look less attractive. Our company can help abate the ball moss problem by spraying a product on the tree during late winter. Contact us in January to schedule this treatment.
Educational Seminars and Training
There are many myths and mysteries surrounding Oak Wilt and tree health in general. With a little extra knowledge, people can become better stewards of the land and reduce the damage caused by Oak Wilt. We have developed several presentation packages that answer the major questions surrounding Oak Wilt in Central Texas. We would be delighted to come to your gathering to present our thoughts on Oak Wilt and related treatments and protocols. We have presented to real estate companies, industry organizations, home owners associations, gardening clubs, and interested neighborhood groups.
We often are asked to provide training to property owners interested in "do it yourself" tree injections. Please contact us if you are interested in a training session.
What we Don't Do
We focus on Oak Wilt and immediately related issues. This is a serious business to us and especially our customers and we do not want to take our eye off the ball by trying to provide every tree service out there. We train our technicians thoroughly on Oak Wilt treatment protocols. It would be difficult, if not impossible to be clearing brush one week and then switch gears to the complicated task of excavating and injection of roots on 300 year old Oaks the next.
We follow protocols developed and improved by the Texas Forest Service, Texas A&M, and other academic and scientific organizations. We do not subscribe to remedies that have not had scientific validation of positive results.