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Bud Rot

There are many pathogens that can cause bud rot of palm trees. Some of the common causes are Phytophthora palmivora, Thielaviopsis paradoxa and bacteria. Regardless of the pathogen causing the disease, the symptoms and treatment are the same.

When a palm tree initially gets infected with bud rot, the first symptoms that become visible are: discoloration and wilting of the spear (new main) leaf and wilting and discoloration of the newer fronds (leaves). The yellowing and wilting is normally from the inner part of the leaf, outwards. In severe cases of disease the main frond or spear leaf can be easily pulled from the bud. In tall palms, where the terminal bud (top point where new growth emerges) cannot be seen from the ground, the early symptoms of palm bud rot are often missed. Often the disease onset is not noticed until new frond growth has stopped and the crown begins to appear to be shrinking or loses its top and appears flat. In cases such as this, often the terminal bud has died, and no new fronds are produced. Existing fronds will remain green for a few months as the tree slowly dies.

Palm bud rot caused by bacterial infections is often associated with cold damage and stress placed on the tree by exposure to cold temperatures. When a palm tree is exposed to cold damage, to prevent the possible onset of palm bud rot the tree should be treated with Liquid Copper Fungicide. Immediately after cold damage the terminal bud should be sprayed, and then repeated every 10 to 14 days for a series of 4 treatments. Do not wait until palm bud rot symptoms emerge. Avoid pruning or removing cold damaged fronds, as this will place more stress on the tree and increase the potential for other bacterial or fungal infections to enter the tree.

When treating and preventing palm bud rot it is important to realize that palm trees have only one terminal bud form which all new growth emerges. Unlike most trees, such as maple and apple trees which have many points where new growth emerges, palms rely exclusively on their single terminal bud. If the terminal bud or heart becomes diseased or freezes during cold periods and dies, the tree will not be able to put out any new leaf growth and will die. That is why regular monitoring of the terminal bud and preventative care are vital to maintaining a healthy palm tree.

Recommended Steps to Treat Palm Bud Rot:

It is always best to take steps to prevent the onset of Palm Bud Rot. Preventative steps should be taken if a palm tree has experienced cold damage or palm bud rot has been identified in the local area. As a preventative treatment, spay the tree’s terminal bud with Liquid Copper Fungicide and repeat the treatment every 10 to 14 days, for 3 to 4 treatments, or as necessary.

If a palm tree is already showing symptoms of palm bud rot, immediately treat the tree with Liquid Copper Fungicide, focusing most attention towards the terminal bud. To increase the effectiveness of the spray, mix with Nature's Own Spray Helper. Repeat the spraying every 7 days as necessary. Once a tree is infected with bud rot, it usually dies, but its chances of survival can increase the earlier it is treated with liquid copper.

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TreeHelp Annual Care Kit

SKU: TRKIT-ACA BRAND: TreeHelp
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TreeHelp Annual Care KitTreeHelp Annual Care KitTreeHelp Annual Care KitTreeHelp Annual Care KitTreeHelp Annual Care KitTreeHelp Annual Care KitTreeHelp Annual Care Kit

TreeHelp developed easy-to-use Annual Care Kits to help homeowners maintain healthy and vibrant trees.

TreeHelp Annual Care Kits provide health supplements that are specific and appropriate to the type of tree that you care for. The supplements are designed to promote root-development which will have a lasting effect on the long-term health of your trees. Root development is vital for a tree because it gives the tree a reserve of strength and vitality that will help it survive through periods of drought, nutrient deficiency, insect infestation or disease. Too many fertilizers and other soil additives on the market focus on immediate impact - like "candy for trees". Our soil treatments, on the other hand, provide nutrients and organic elements that will help your tree today and for many years to come.

Some of our more popular kits include:

Palm
Contains 5 Complete Fertilizer spikes with high amounts of Manganese, Magnesium and Potassium, crucial to palm tree health.

Citrus
Contains specialized citrus fertilizer spikes loaded with micronutrients to improve tree health and fruit production

Birch
Birch trees are vulnerable to devastating insects such as Bronze Birch Borer. ?ÿThe Birch Kit is designed to promote stronger growth that helps make your tree less susceptible.

Customized kits are also available for over 90 other types of trees.

Having the right composition of minerals and organic material is extremely important in maintaining tree health. As a result, all of our kits are "custom-built" with specially selected components to suit a particular tree type. For example, the mycorrhizal fungi that benefits an oak tree will have no effect on a maple. And the fertilizer recommended for use on a pine would not be ideal for an elm. With our custom care kits, you can be certain you are applying the right treatments to your trees.

Step 1: Mycorrhizal Fungi

Mycorrhizal fungi is a relatively new soil treatment for trees. Co-existing with trees and plants in nature for hundreds of millions of years, these beneficial fungi provide a "safety net" for the tree in times of stress. By colonizing the roots and extending themselves further into the soil, the fungi enable the tree to take in more nutrients and moisture. The result is a healthier, more robust tree better capable of withstanding the many stressful conditions that exist in an urban environment and to better metabolize nutrients.

Because trees are often transplanted into non-native soils, and because urban soils have often been damaged by pollution and compaction, it is essential to re-introduce mycorrhizal fungi to the soil. Our custom care kits match the correct type of mycorrhizal fungi with specific types of trees.

Step 2: Fertilizer

Fertilizer will always be an important component of a comprehensive tree care program. But it must be done properly. Nutrient balances are difficult to achieve and improper fertilization can have drastically poor effects on trees. All too often, trees are fertilized with Nitrogen-rich, quick-release fertilizers. Not only does this have the potential of 'burning' the soil around the roots, it can also promote structurally weak growth that can attract insects and disease. Our fertilizers, on the other hand, slowly release a carefully measured balance of nutrients into the soil for a constant feeding that provides more long-lasting benefit to your tree.

The fertilizers that are included in our custom care kits have been specially selected to provide maximum benefit to a particular type of tree. The formulations are often very different from species to species and target different biological structures. The result will be a healthier, more vital tree.

Step 3: Biostimulant

TreeHelp Bistimulant is a dry, water-soluble green-up powder that is watered on tree roots as a root drench. BioSurge provides benefits to all types of trees, shrubs, and other garden plants. It is designed to increase the microbial activity in the soil around the root zone and encourage root and lateral bud development, improve the efficiency of a plant’s respiratory and photosynthetic systems and delay the aging process in plant tissue. The unique composition of ingredients includes beneficial bacteria, as well as humic acids extracts, soluble sea kelp, yucca plant extracts, amino acids and vitamins.