San Antonio Arborist
San Antonio Arborist have long sought to depict tree behavior as a mirror of human behavior. Trees, like humans, require nourishment, care, and a balanced diet to avoid becoming ill from a slew of potentially fatal bacterial and viral infections that may be transmitted through the air or by vectors (wind, birds, insects, and tools).
People should be aware of their trees and the illnesses that might affect them.
Let me tell you a tale of how a once-healthy tree becomes infected with a serious bacterial illness.
With the best of intentions
Mac observed branches from his Bradford pear hanging close to his roofline over the spring weekend, raising anxiety for both him and his insurance company. He decided to have his landscaping crew clip the pear back from the roofline when they arrived to mow the yard and hedge his bushes on Monday.
The landscapers arrived on Monday, unloading their equipment in preparation for the weekly service. When Mac contacted Bobby, the foreman, with the request, he was told "no problem."
An extension ladder, rusted power hedgers, a worn pole pruner, and a pair of dull loppers emerged in a short time. The roof was cleaned after a few cuts. Mac was so pleased with the work that he offered the staff an extra $40.00 for it.
Mac considered the situation and concluded, "Problem solved."
Was it, or wasn't it...
Summer morphed into October, and fall morphed into winter. Mac began organizing his usual terrifying outside show as Halloween approached. A scene in which a ghost descends from his chimney to the same pear tree manicured by his landscapers in the spring was included. Mac was climbing his A-frame ladder with a cable in hand to tie it to the tree when he saw charred branch pieces on the trimmed side of the tree. The closer he got to them, the more they appeared to have been charred by a blow torch.
Mac shrugged his shoulders and didn't think about it. He searched around the remainder of the tree after tying the line and climbing down the ladder, but couldn't see any more vegetation with a similar appearance. However, he saw a similar charred appearance on the tips of branches in the pyracantha hedge that stretched around the front of his house. He was bewildered now.
A Disease's Transmission
So, what went wrong?
When Mac's landscapers arrived at his home that spring day, they had just finished trimming pyracantha and crab apple trees that had been infested with a bacteria called Fireblight on another property.
Their pruning tools were covered in bacteria. The same tools were infected when they came into contact with Mac's tree and bushes.
Every day, stories like these emerge.
How to Lower Your Risks
So, how can we avoid situations like these in the future?
First and first, we must be aware of the many types of trees and shrubs we have, as well as the illnesses that they might catch. In today's world of the Internet, finding that information is pretty simple.
Second, if you employ someone to look after your trees and bushes, make sure they are familiar with illnesses and use sterilized instruments when they enter your property. You'd be shocked to learn how many so-called "professionals" have no idea what illnesses are.
We recognize that protecting your property from illnesses spread by the wind, birds, or insects is impossible. You can lessen the chance of infecting your trees and shrubs* if you or your expert undertake the following:
Disinfect your tools if it's a virus or viroid.
Disinfect your instruments if it's a vascular fungus or bacterium that causes gushing cankers.
Wait until active, gushing cankers have dried before cutting them.
If you're trimming plants that can't be replaced, make sure your equipment is clean.
Choose a disinfecting treatment that has been scientifically shown to be effective.
Why should you treat your trees and property any differently than you would a medical practitioner treating you or your family with an unsterilized tool?
Tree Trimming San Antonio
1700 Jackson Keller Rd. #704 San Antonio TX 78213
(210) 985 1760