Hi,
I have a very old birch tree in my front garden. i have been noticing that the ground around it gets covered with saw dust and the bark on one of the sides is disappearing.
I though it was down to squirrels chewing it but yesterday I had a good look with my neighbour and she told me that something is drilling holes in the bark. i checked and saw lots of holes and dead, cracked bark.
I injected some inseticidal soap in the holes with a small syringe.
Will my tree die? Can I do something to save it?
I already lost two birch trees due to the draught.:o(
thank you for any help.:o)
HELP! something is drilling my tree!
Well, the fastest resolution to this would be as Cedar suggested earlier. Call your local extension service office (listed in the phone book under county services). They might be able to give you a quick answer based on the type of tree and the time of year. Have you ruled out woodpeckers?
Laurel
It sounds like you might have a birch borer, or bark beetle, infestation in the tree. You say the tree is old and that you've lost others due to drought: it seems apparent the ailing tree has been weakened due to its age plus the stress of drought, and that would make it susceptible to disease AND borers/beetles. The sawdust and holes in the bark indicates the presence of these insects, and if that's the case there is almost nothing that can be done (have you noticed any dieing off of leaves/branches at the tree's top? This is another GOOD indication of insect presence). A tree surgeon could tell for sure: most give a free diagnosis and estimates for removal, but BEWARE of what's called "tree injections" as they DON'T WORK in these cases and are fairly expensive. I suggest researching the internet for descriptions on the above mentioned insects and how they infest a tree, the damage they cause internally, or seeing if your local Master Gardeners (that are affiliated with the Extension Service) will make a "house call" and verify the fact of what's wrong before taking any drastic steps such as removal. Hope I've helped, and GOOD LUCK!!
Hi everyone,
thank you very much for your help and advice.
Laurel, it is at the bottom of the tree, near the ground. The holes are small, less than 1/2" diameter.
Grouse,I am going to research on google. I had no idea trees can get beetles.
I checked the leaves and they look allright, no dying branches.
I just hope I don't lose my tree. It is a beautiful tree and I love it.
thank you again:o)
Hi again,
googled and checked photos. my tree is a river birch.
They should be planted in shady, moist ground, just the opposite of the conditions this one is in.
I moved to this house around 3 1/2 years ago and at the time i had 5 birches growing. This spring, two of them fail to get leaves and they died and broke down during high winds.
They are planted in full sun, on a very dry, clay soil.
I just read that borders can help them to keep cool and moist. I have been thinking of buiding a border around this tree but it may be too late now.
I will have to think what is best for it and ask someone if it can be saved.
Thank you everyone.
Spider: there is an EXCELLANT book to refer to in regards to possibly identifying the borers. Its title is "Garden Insects of North America"; the author is Whitney Cranshaw: hopefully your local library has it, or your local extension service. Go to the section on "Trunk and Branch Borers", it covers pages 460-499. The River, or Red Birch, is supposed to be highly resistant to what's called the "Bronze Birch Borer" (which would attack the whole tree from ground up), so your critters are something else seeing as they're in the trunk section.
Also: IF you build a well around this tree, be very sure it isn't so deep as to smother the root system which needs AIR to breathe and survive. You mentioned your soil is clay and that's "heavy" to begin with, so caution should be used! I LOVE trees, really hope you can save yours!
Hi Grouse,
Thank you very much for your info and the book name.:o)
I will look for it at the library.
I haven't seen the bugs that are drilling the tree. I try sucking them with the syringe in one of the holes to see if I could drag one out but nothing happened.
I had a very good look around the tree to see if I can find any of them but there is only saw dust. The holes start very near the ground, soil line, and go up along the trunk.
I have checked the other birchs and they seem OK. It's only this one that looks infected.
I read on google that the river birch is resistant to the borers but if the tree is under stress, they will take over. I think my birches are planted in the wrongplace. They like shadow and humid ground and mine are in full sun and drought conditions. I also read that you can build a border and cover the roots with humid soil and plant some ground covers to keep it cool and humid. I just think it may be too late. The trunk looks alll cracked and full of holes. One of the branches is dead.
I will have a look at the book though and keep an eye for the bugs.
Thank you once again:o)
Spider - my birch (river) are planted in clay in full sun. Three grew big and glorious. I took out two (because the three got so big so fast - it was just too much) but the one left is lovely. I don't think that the the sunny spot will pose much of a problem. I realize it doesn't help the borer issue but at least if you can fix that you shouldn't have to worry about the site. By the way, I bought six trees all together - all about 6 feet high and skinny --- the other three I put in the back (shady) (however not moist either) Those trees have grown very very slowly..... not nearly as nice as the others. So, don't know about the shade as being helpful ---or maybe it was the just the drier conditions.
Hi Missingrosie,
you have a funny name!:o)
Thank you for your message.
When i was googling about the borers I got to the University of Minnesotta horticulture site and it mentioned that river birches should not be used for landscaping because of shade and humidiy requirements so, it's good to know that the one you have in a sunny place is OK. I was worrying that i was going to lose them .I have lived here for just three years so I don't know how it was before all the drought. I am thinking of giving it some water, daily, until winter and building a border around it.
Once someone D-mailed me and asked if I missed Rosie (O'Donnell) I guess it was about the time she went off the air. At the time that I subscribed to DG - our dog Rosalie died from cancer of the spleen. I was so sad I could hardly breathe --when I had to choose a screen name - it was the one that popped out of me and stuck.
Oooooh Missingrosie, sorry, I didn't know it was about your doggie. Now i realize it is such a sad name.
I completely missed the meaning as we had olesagegrouse and I read your name as missin grousie. Stupid me!
Your Rosie was gorgeous! Did you get another one?
That's OK. I thought it was funny that someone thought Rosie O'Donnell meant that much. No, we haven't gotten another dog. Maybe some day we will. We loved Rosie and wouldn't trade her for 'nuthin' but she was a hair- dropping, spit flinging - anti-visitor, couch hogging, hound barking, kid-hating kinda gal. We have a new grandchild on the way and since we thought we could never replace Rosie anyway, we weren't ready to take on all the above again.
I was thinking about those borers----- I wonder if they have to exit every now and again to survive. ...do you know? Maybe you could wrap something around the tree -- trapping them inside and kill them off and then unwrap and spray a deterrent or somehow make the tree less attractive.
Missingrosie, I had a dog like Rosie too. Her name was Belle. They could have been sisters. She was a black and white spotted bird dog mix. My current Plotthound rescue is just like Rosie in personality, but Belle looked like your Rosie and loved children. She did not fling spit like our Plott, Pepper who acts like she is dead when not out getting bitten by snakes or shaking squirrels out of trees. She ain't nothin' but a hound dog. :)
Our two other dogs (guys) got out of the fence in Atlanta and disappeared for several days. When they arrived home, Belle saw them and climbed a six foot, chain link fence. The three were gone for four more days and when the boys came home, Belle was not with them. We never saw her again. She was amazingly trained and anyone who would have opened a car door and told her to get in...well she would have. "Stop", "Stay", "Come"...totally obedient and trusted everyone. We think she was stolen. I was heartbroken for the longest time.
Laurel
Missingrosie.
I think they get enough air in their tunnels. The trunk has many holes and are connected with cracked wood. I thought about clingfilm but I can only cover some of the tree. It is very very tall and has many branches. According to what I read, The borers start at the bottom and make their way up to the higher branches. I would not be able to cover the whole tree. I put some insiticide soap in the holes i could find but i don't think it reached very far inside. I also read that they feed off the centre of the tree.
Your dog sounds like a lovely crazy critter. I hope the sadness comes down and you are able to love another one again.:o)
Oh nooo Laurel, that is so sad.
I have the greatest companion. His name is Spider. We do everything together and, when i am well, we go for long runs around the subdivision. I can't imagine surviving without him.
Laurel
So very sorry about Belle. What a grand name.
Yes, when the local hunters would see Rose, they'd say 'you got you a bird dog there --she ain't no good tho, she's scared of everything.' (SHE thought she was a purebread german pointer --but there were a few tell tale signs that (that) wasn't exactly so...and she was scared of everything..that is why she was so fierce)
Spider - if the leaves not impacted - maybe the bugs won't kill the tree. I know our river birch gets these horrid curled leaves... then I see small ping pong sized clumps of these black worm things hanging in the leaves. I never found out what they are. They pretty much ruin the leaves, but the next spring...all is well. The river birch are pretty resilient I think.