still doing elms

louis

louis

Location
pittsburgh
just wondering if you guys are still pruning elms, i know its getting around that cut-off time for elms and oaks but i have one more huge elm to clean out next week, anyboby still do them even in april
 
it has'nt warmed up here much so most of the elm's have no buds or very little, the one i need to prune has buds, normally at this time it would be my cut-off for elms unless i was just removing a few hazardous limbs and could easely just paint the cuts, this one is a pretty big job (lots of cuts thinning and dead wood) i think i'll hold off, you know how costomers are when they get pushy and just want there tree done............(i always get nervous about elms this time of year)
 
We care for over 1500 mature American elms in Central Park. We struggle with DED every year in spite of diligent scouting and sanitation. We are finished with pruning elms until mid-August except for large and hazardous dead wood.
 
To my knowledge, there are no data that show an increased risk of beetle attraction to freshly pruned elms. Anyone have a study or link they can post? Many companies around here will not prune elms during the spring/summer. However, these same companies admit that they have no data to back up this argument.
 
Louis,

What is the DED situation like in the area of this tree. If it is in or near a hot spot, then I would wait. Communicate this to the client so they don't try to get someone else who will do the work just for the money. What about Elm Yellows in your area. Penn State Main campus is basically under seige with this one.

Josh,

Good to see you on the boards again. I used one of the photos I took in January when we met on a presentation today. Photo of all things, Elms.
 
I agree with Taylor. There really isnt any hard data that Im aware of, but still most companies will avoid pruning during spring and summer months. The Mpls park and Rec board did a study a few years back. They observed Elms that were pruned during dormancy and those pruned during the growing season. From memory I want to say more trees that were pruned in dormancy were lost to DED than those pruned during the growing season. Just goes to show there isnt an exact science to it and that ANY unprotected Elm is subject to the fungus regardless of when it was last pruned.
To answer the original question, we stopped pruning Elms just last week.
 
What is done to protect the elms? I think that I read something about an injected systemic fungicide that last 3 years. Is this so?

Anyone know the state of DED in WA state? I have several at my house.

thanks.
 
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