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Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Treatment

The hemlock woolly adelgid is a nonnative insect pest that has infested much of the east coast, including Asheville and Western North Carolina. It is responsible for the deaths of thousands of hemlocks in the Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks. Once infested, a tree can die in as little as four years. You can read more about the hemlock woolly adelgid here.

We offer several treatment options to maintain or improve the health of your hemlocks. These include:

Soil injection - This is the most common method to treat hemlocks in Asheville and WNC. The soil injection method uses a hand powered injector to apply a solution of the systemic insecticide imidacloprid (Merit) or dinotefuran (Safari) into the root zone of the tree. The roots then take up the insecticide and distribute it throughout the crown of the tree. Timing of soil injection is important for success. Treatment is usually performed in the spring or fall, when the tree is actively moving water throughout its crown and the adelgid is feeding. The cost of treatment is determined by the diameter of the trunk at 4.5 feet from the ground (DBH). This treatment will need to be repeated every 1 to 3 years, depending on the health of the tree, soil conditions, and weather.

Trunk Injection - Treatment by trunk injection uses small capsules containing imidacloprid. Small (5/16”) holes are drilled around the trunk and the capsules are inserted. The capsules are removed after the chemical has been drawn out of them into the tree (usually within one hour). Trunk injection is used for trees that are close to open water. Soil injection and soap sprays are toxic to aquatic organisms and cannot be used near bodies of water (lakes, streams, fish ponds, etc.). If your trees are closer than 25 feet to a body of water, trunk injections may need to be used. Treatment by trunk injection does cause wounding of the tree, but the wounds tend to close quickly. This treatment is more expensive than other treatments, and will need to be repeated every 1 to 3 years, depending on the health of the tree, soil conditions, and weather.

Insecticidal Soap Spray - Soap sprays can be used on small (less than 20’ tall) trees and are applied with a truck mounted sprayer. Insecticidal soap is not systemic (absorbed and circulated by the tree) like imidacloprid or dinotefuran, so the spray must contact all parts of the tree to achieve effective control. Because of this fact, soap sprays need to be repeated more often than the systemic treatments. Insecticidal soap sprays cannot be applied on windy days or near bodies of water. Most insecticidal soap sprays are applied to hedges where access to the base of the tree is limited. Imidacloprid can be added to the soap spray to provide some lasting control.

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Providing quality tree care services including tree trimming, pruning & tree removal to Asheville, NC, Western North Carolina.

Tree Pruning & Trimming

The health, safety, and appearance of a tree can be improved with proper pruning, also called tree trimming. Many objectives can be accomplished with tree pruning, such as removing deadwood; improving tree structure by removing crossing or redundant limbs; increasing clearance for houses and driveways; restoring previously topped trees; improving fruiting or flowering; increasing sunlight penetration; creating or improving views; and removing hazardous limbs. Many trees also contain defects, such as cracks, decay, or bark inclusion. Pruning can help reduce a defect’s potential for failure through limb reduction and thinning. Proper cuts are important for insuring that the tree is able to close off the pruning wounds and inhibit decay. WNC Arborist prides itself on its high quality pruning. We do not top trees. Click here for more information about why tree topping is harmful. We do not wear spikes while pruning trees.

Plant Health Care

Many trees experience health problems during their lifetime. These problems can be caused by diseases, insects, construction damage, water stress, poor planting practices, soil compaction, or other factors. Proper diagnosis is key to helping a tree return to a healthy state. Once a diagnosis has been made, treatment can begin. Some options include:

Root Flare Excavation & Examination - Many tree issues can be traced back to improper planting depth, improper mulching, soil compaction, girdling roots, and root decay. Exposing and examining the root flare is usually one of the first procedures we use to help identify a problem. On small trees, this can be done carefully by hand. On larger trees, we utilize the Supersonic Air Knife, which allows us to move soil without harming the tree tissue.

Disease and Insect Control - After a positive identification of the pest, specific pesticides can be applied to help limit damage. We utilize the integrated pest management concept, and all efforts are made to use the least amount of chemical required.

Soil Testing - Many tree problems begin below the surface. We offer soil testing services that can help identify underlying causes. The enables the problem to be treated, not just the symptoms.

Soil Enhancement - The addition of beneficial mycorrhizal fungi, organic fertilizer, humic acids, and micronutrients to help build the soil and enhance root growth and nutrient and water uptake.

Soil Decompaction & Aeration - This is the physical fracturing of compacted soil as well as the addition of soil amendments to help create air spaces in the soil, aiding root growth and overall tree health. WNC Arborist is one of the first in the area to utilize the Supersonic Air Knife to aerate and decompact soils. The Air Knife uses high pressure air to remove soil and create air spaces without harming tree roots. See the pictures above, or click here to view a video of the Air Knife in action.

Tree Removal

Declining, dead and hazardous trees can be removed to maintain the beauty and safety of your property. Other trees can be removed to allow for more sun infiltration, create space for gardens or buildings, or as part of a landscape renovation. All tree removals are done safely and utilize technical rigging techniques to avoid damage to your lawn and landscape. All parts of the tree are recycled into either wood chips, mulch, firewood, or lumber.

Tree Care Consultations

We provide consulting services to help you make informed decisions about your trees and landscape. We will visit your property, inspect the trees, soil, and surrounding landscape, and answer any questions you may have. A consultation can be performed before construction activities begin, in conjunction with a real estate sale, to help settle a dispute between neighbors, or to fully investigate a tree problem. Climbing inspections may be performed if a specific problem cannot be fully explored from the ground. All consultations include a written report.

Construction Planning and Remediation

Many trees in the Asheville area are damaged during the construction of roads, houses, condominiums, and commercial structures. Trees can also be impacted by minor construction projects, such as pools, decks, or building additions. Major causes of tree decline on construction sites comes from grade changes (especially when soil is added over a tree’s root zone), soil compaction (from vehicle parking and material and machinery storage), physical wounding (from machinery), and root damage (from excavating, trenching, digging, or dumping waste material). Often times, the damage does not show up for several years, at which time it may be too late to help the trees. By planning for the health of your trees before construction activities begin, you can minimize impact on the trees as well as keep tree-related expenses and surprises from occurring during or after the construction process.
We can visit your site, review your construction plans, and make recommendations for preserving your trees. In the event that trees have already been damaged, actions can be taken to help reverse or minimize the damage. We can also help you satisfy requirements of the NC HealthyBuilt Homes checklist for Site Opportunities through planning for tree preservation, erosion control, and vegetation management.

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We provide the highest quality tree care in the Asheville NC area, offering the following services:

Professional Asheville Area Tree Care

Cabling and Bracing

Together with pruning, support by cabling and bracing can reduce the potential for a tree to fail due to a defect (cracks, weak branch unions, included bark). Cabling essentially “ties” parts of a tree together. This can be done using traditional extra high strength steel cable and hardware, or with a non-invasive, dynamic cabling system, such as the Cobra system. Bracing can be used when cracks or pockets exist in the trunk or large branches of a tree. A brace is a long bolt that is threaded through an area that has a defect to help hold it together. WNC Arborist has the experience and knowledge to design and install a support system that will mitigate hazards and keep your property safe.

Before

After

This tree was pruned to prevent walnuts from dropping on the neighbor’s roof

Sprout thinning & deadwood removal - the first steps in restoring this topped silver maple