In the late 1990s, before the emerald ash borer began destroying
ash trees, Dick Haley planted two of them in his Mason backyard.
"We wanted something that would look good and shade the
back of the house," he says.
The trees grew to do just that - provide shade in the summer
and beautiful color in the fall.
When Haley and his wife, Jean, visited their son in
Toledo
, they saw ash trees killed by the emerald ash borer, which was discovered near
Detroit
in 2002 and has since spread to surrounding states. It has been found in parts of
Warren,
Butler
and
Hamilton
counties.
Haley likes his ash trees and knew they'd be expensive
to remove. He hired Tim Back of Back Tree Service to treat both trees. The cost
initially was $300 to $400 a year, but it has dropped over time.
"I look at it like an investment," Haley says. "It takes
so long for a tree to mature and look good. I'm not willing to start over."
Back, an arborist, has studied the emerald ash borer and
various methods of protecting trees. He is a supporter of injecting products into
the trunks of trees, as well as aeration and soil remediation, vertical mulching
and fertilizing.
A new product available in early 2008, Emamectin Benzoate,
is expected to protect trees for at least two years, Back says.
There are many approaches to prevent an infestation of
emerald ash borer, says Joe Boggs of the Ohio State University Extension service
in
Hamilton County
.
"I cannot say there's a wrong and right," he says.
Boggs recommends that homeowners concerned about their
ash trees find an International Society of Arboriculture-certified arborist who
will evaluate the health of a tree and make treatment suggestions. It may not be
worth treating a tree in bad health or in a bad location, Boggs says. Today, there
is no cure once a tree is infested with the emerald ash borer.
Homeowners should come up with a plan, whether it is to
treat ash trees, remove them, plant new trees or a combination of plans. Consider
the importance of the tree in the landscape and what you can afford, Boggs says.
Also, find out how much it might cost to remove the tree.
E-mail:
GardenStories@cinci.rr.com
Dick Haley of Mason hired Back Tree Service to protect his trees from
the Emerald Ash Borer.