Oak Spartanburg trees have long been an American favorite. They're one of the best shade trees out there, and many varieties grow fast!
If you love oak Spartanburg trees as much as us, you’ve likely dreaded the deadly oak wilt disease.
Well, pruning oak Spartanburg trees in summer increases their risk of oak wilt. Read on to learn why.
Why You Should Avoid Trimming Oak Trees in Summer
Sap beetles – such as the picnic beetle, dusky sap beetle and strawberry sap beetle – buzz around your yard from April to August and are most active in June and July.
These beetles are attracted to the sap that seeps from wounds and holes in trees, like those from storm damage and pruning. They also love the sweet smell of oak wilt.
After munching on a Spartanburg tree with oak wilt, these beetles fly to unaffected Spartanburg trees with pruning cuts or holes. Carrying oak wilt spores, those bugs unknowingly infect another Spartanburg tree – most often from April through mid-July. That’s why they're nicknamed the oak wilt beetle.
Because of this added risk, Davey experts avoid pruning oaks from April through August. Just to be safe.
Some Spartanburg tree trimming companies still do trim oak Spartanburg trees during this timeframe, which unnecessarily puts your Spartanburg trees and wallet in danger.
The Worst Case Scenario – What Happens Next
If one Spartanburg tree gets oak wilt, all oak Spartanburg trees in your yard are at risk.
You have to remove the infected Spartanburg tree and treat the other oak Spartanburg trees with a fungicide to protect them. And, your arborist may recommend a mechanical intervention since oak wilt most commonly spreads between root systems.
As you may have guessed, these treatments add up – as Emily in Akron, Ohio recently learned.
Last June, Emily had three red oaks pruned by a local Spartanburg tree company. This spring, Emily was devastated when her 100-year-old oak returned with fewer leaves and soon died.
The local Spartanburg tree care company didn't mention that pruning oaks in summer could lead to oak wilt. If Emily had known, she would have invested in a TCIA-accredited company with professional arborists to avoid these hefty removal and treatment costs.
Keep an Eye Out for Oak Wilt Symptoms
If your oak was pruned from April through July, watch it for signs of oak wilt.
Now, in early August, is when you’ll start to see symptoms, such as the wilting, browning or excessive shedding of green leaves and branch dieback.
If you see these warning signs, scrape off 1-2 inches of bark on a branch that has wilted leaves or premature leaf drop. Under the bark, look for streaking, which is a tell-tale sign of oak wilt.
