Fruit trees are a source of pride and enjoyment for many homeowners, and rightfully so. They provide delicious food you don't have to pay for, and they often enhance their surroundings and make your entire yard look better. For these reasons, good tree care is also very important. Diseases can kill your fruit trees before you even realize a problem. Trees Hurt Too Inc. is here to help you take good care of your fruit trees and protect them from diseases. This article will help you determine if you might be in need of tree services in Arlington.
Types Of Fruit Tree Diseases
The first step to effective tree care in Arlington is knowing what sorts of diseases might affect your fruit trees. Primarily, either bacteria or fungi are the cause of fruit tree diseases. While there are many diseases stemming from both, some of the more common include brown rot, fire blight, and crown root. Brown rot is a fungal disease that often infects stone fruits such as plums, cherries, and peaches. It causes young shoots and buds on the tree to turn brown, wither, and die. If not removed, the infected fruit can spread the disease to other areas of the tree. Fire blight is a bacterial infection that tends to manifest in the spring. It affects pear, apple, and crabapple trees, among others. Fire blight gets its name from the blackened appearance of infected fruit or bark, which looks as if it has been burned. Crown root is a fungal disease that can affect all fruit trees. It tends to occur in oversaturated soil, and symptoms include wilting or early yellowing of foliage, as well as a musty smell or a spongy feel to the bark near the soil line.
How Fruit Trees Become Diseased: The Dreaded Disease Triangle
Before we explain how to protect fruit trees from disease, let's look at something called "the disease triangle" to explain how fruit trees become diseased in the first place. The disease triangle refers to the three factors involved in developing a diseased fruit tree. These three factors are a host plant, a pathogen, and the environment. A disease needs a host plant, which is the tree itself, to be susceptible. The pathogen, regardless of whether it is fungal or bacterial, needs to be able to take hold of the tree. And finally, the environment needs to be favorable for the disease to flourish. The potency of each factor determines the severity of the disease. Professional tree care services are likely necessary to heal a tree that has become diseased.
General Fruit Tree Control Tactics
There are some things you can do to help prevent your fruit trees from becoming diseased. These steps will help ensure that your fruit trees stay healthy and productive.
- Plant fruit trees in soil with good water drainage.
- Inspect your fruit trees regularly for signs of damage or infection.
- Prune branches that become infected or develop cankers or dead spots.
- Use approved fungicide sprays to help your fruit trees resist infection.
If you are certain that your tree has become diseased, it's time to call the professionals. Luckily, our team at Trees Hurt Too Inc. makes affordable tree care easy.
