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Limit Oak Wilt #751466
Asked May 22, 2021, 1:16 PM EDT
Jessamine County Kentucky
Expert Response
Dear Clark,
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YOUR QUESTION #0021397:
Limit Oak Wilt
I've got 20 acres of mixed red and whit oak and a cabin located in the trees. I'm pretty sure that the oak wilt is established. I've got trees dying and the bark falling off. Last year the gypsy moths were terrible, but the trees regained their leaves. I've heard that you can inject fungicide around the base of the tree to protect living trees. What do think?Ask Extension offers one-to-one expert answers from Cooperative Extension/University staff and volunteers within participating Land-Grant institutions across the United States.
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Hello,
To control oak wilt, you have to make absolutely sure you have oak wilt by getting a professional to locate a spore mat or by collecting a sample and sending it in to MSU Plant and Pest Diagnostic Services. Here is the link to their webpage. https://www.canr.msu.edu/pestid/ Go to the Submit Samples tab to find out how to submit a sample for oak wilt. It is REALLY important to confirm that it is really oak wilt, because there are other diseases that mimic oak wilt symptoms. If it is oak wilt, you need to consult an oak wilt professional who will advise you on the best management strategy. Typically this involves trenching: cutting 5 foot deep lines into the ground around infected oaks and the ones they have probably already infected. (Oak wilt is passed from tree to tree through their root systems). Then healthy oaks can be INJECTED with a fungicide called propiconazole. This protects them from getting the fungus passed to them through their root system.
Read more about how this disease is spread, how to recognize symptoms, and how to manage this disease here:
Smart Gardening to prevent oak wilt - Gardening in Michigan (msu.edu)
You can find a list of oak wilt professionals on the MichiganOakWilt.org site.
Another resource available to you is through Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). The number for the office serving Newago county is<personal data hidden> extension 5.
I hope this answers your questions and helps you get on your way to managing your oaks. Thank you for contacting Ask Extension.
Ruth
