How to save infected trees?

[Save the Trees]

I am dealing with some insects in my trees. Could someone recommend ideas?
In my area, we have the emerald ash borer. It has infected every ash tree in my yard, and there are about 20 trees. Is there any way I can save them? Anything I can spray on?
My county is also in a quarantine for the Spotted Lantern Fly. I have not spotted any on my trees yet but I am scared they will arrive this summer and be deadly. What is the best way to prevent them when I live so close to where they are already?It is the same deal for the Asain Longhorned Beetle. I live close to where they were spotted but they are not here yet.

One final thing:
I have a blue spruce tree that I love but it is now oly 15% alive at the top. The bottom branches were dead so we cut them off, and then the branches above died to the point where it is only alive at the top. The needles are dropping quickly. What can I do?

Please: the trees are so old and beautiful and I cannot let them go.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Welcome to the TreeHouse! I'm not a CA, but we have a few here who may be able to help.

Welcome!

 

[Raj]

Welcome!

 

[Wood Collector]

Hi Save the trees, from memory you may be able to use a stem injection for the emerald ash borer. I cant advise you on how effective it is as im not in your location just hears that some people were doing stem injections. The spruce may need more or less wayer depending on your climatic conditions.

 

[Jonny]

Hi, and welcome!

Your best bet is to find a pesticide applicator arborist in your area and get a consultation. From your description, I suspect the blue spruce is a goner though.

 

[Nutball]

I thought they were setting beetle traps in the worst areas. Maybe you could look into getting someone to set traps. That might help some. I think there are also insects that go into the tunnels of boring bugs and eat them. You should try researching that too and see if there's a way to get some of those bugs on your trees.

 

[Save the Trees]

I did read about the trunk injections so thank you for mentioning that. I also read about drenching the soil around the trunk with a dilluted pesticide so the tree would drink it up and the EAB's inside would die. I thought about getting a whole bunch of praying mantis eggs and releasing them as well. Does anyone know anything about them? Do they work? If so, should I get the Chinese Mantises or the Carolina Mantises?
Please keep the suggestions coming.

 

[Merle Nelson]

I think you will hear good news soon from those treating and saving Ash . (Think I have heard starting early is key.) I don't deal with pests myself.



I didn't see for sure what area of the country you're in. It may matter.

 

[Save the Trees]

I live in south eastern Pennsylvania.

 

[Al Smith]

Blue spruce is a mountain tree .Several years ago after two extremely wet springs many of the blue spruce in this area developed what they called "spruce canker " Fact one golf course lost over 200 .I had about a dozen that showed signs of same
From direction of the state of Ohio forestry I lopped the affected limbs using bleach and water to disinfect after each cutting and burned the infected .I only lost two out of at least a dozen .

The ash trees are about a lost cause IMO.However if you drop them before all the bark is affected they will resprout from the roots .Fact I've got some that have second growth about 15 feet high and doing well .I think they will make a come back but it will take over 100 years before you ever see those 3 footers 100 feet tall again maybe longer than that .The dead ones either you drop or mother nature will after 8-10 years when the roots rot away . Some times mother does a good job and some times not .

Dead ash can be a pain in the buttocks ,where to put them and not clear out another half dozen healthy trees in the process ? I had an 80 footer around 24" that was crooked as a dogs hind leg I stewed about it for the last 5-6 years .Bad leaner trying to figure it out without killing myself in the process .One windy night mother nature did it and missed every thing .A lot better job than I could have done .

 

[Save the Trees]

Oh, I did not know that if you cut them down before they are completely dead they might regrow. Thanks for that idea!

 

[Al Smith]

As the limbs start to die the tree tries to grow new ones but eventually the bark fails .The portion nearer the roots is the last to go .Another thing if the ash are in a dense wood like I have once the big trees are gone literally thousands of ash seeds will sprout because the sun gets to them .It's amazing if you've never seen it .
Another thing ,evidently the ash borer knew if they laid eggs in small ash trees there would not be enough inner bark to sustain the larva and they passed those up .The little saplings survived .

I'm old enough to remember the giant American elms .Massive things ,80-90 feet tall,3-31/2 feet in diameter .Dutch elm disease nearly drove them to extinction but some survived .I've got them in my woods but they seldom get over 8" in diameter before they die .Every so often I find some on the ground and cut 8-10 feet off the thicker portion and use them to sidehaul logs . Elm will bend light a noodle where oak would break like a tooth pick .

 

[Nutball]

Just don't mow over the newly sprouted trees. You might have to mow only once a month until you see new trees growing and mark where they are.

I know my yard would take 5 years to become a thick young forest. Every year I see little tulip poplars, maples, and red oaks trying to sprout up all over my yard.

 

[SeanKroll]

People with their manicured garden beds around bigleaf maples...picking tiny trees out all spring.