Summertime in Pennsylvania can be beautiful with the green foliage of the vast forests that surround the state. We love working in the lush greenery that surrounds us. However, while the summer can bring life to our beautiful trees, it can also give way to unfortunate pests and diseases like Needle Cast.

In the article, we will share with you common summer pests, focusing on Needle Cast, and how to identify diseases. Our goal is to help you keep your trees looking as strong and green as they did the year before. 

 Some pests to watch out for in June are

  • Hemlock Woolly Adelgid 
  • Anthracnose
  • Scale insects
  • Apple scab
  • Needle Cast

Check out what this article by an accredited company says for more information.

These pests affect your trees during the warmer months, especially Needle Cast. Needle Cast is a fungus that grows specifically on:

  • Spruce
  • Pine
  • Douglas Fir
  • True Fir

Needle cast can grow on your tree if the following happens:

  • Tree stress from drought
  • Poor planting practices
  • Other previous fungal diseases

Step One: How to see if your tree has been affected by Needle Cast

Some ways you can see if your tree has been affected by Needle Cast is by falling needles from your new trees, discolored needles, needle spotting, or twig dieback. However, your tree may not always have all the symptoms. Needle Cast may not always be noticeable at first, so keep an eye on your trees that can be affected by common pests and diseases, especially new trees that have been planted. The discoloration of the needles is a burnt red color that starts at the bottom of the branch and crawls up to the end of it. From a further distance, your tree will look as if it is bare due to the color of the needles. 

Step Two: How to get rid of Needle Cast on your tree

If you see that your tree has been affected by Needle Cast or other common pests and diseases, there are a few options for you to take to help save your tree. First, you want to make sure that the disease has not spread throughout your other trees as well, since it can spread through many trees if they are planted close together. Then to save your trees, you want to make sure you have the right solution. In most cases, you can treat the trees with fungicides and cut off the branches that have been affected. Once you have cut off the infected branches, make sure to discard the debris so that it does not spread to your other trees. Unfortunately, if your tree is too infected by the disease, uprooting the tree may be the only option to help combat the common pests and diseases and save your other trees. 

Some ways to prevent Needle Cast from re-injuring your trees

  • Plant tree species or a variety of species that do not fall sick easily, especially when exposed to needle-cast fungi
  • Plant your trees with space in between them to ensure they have good air circulation.
  • When watering your trees make sure to keep the water away from the needles

We Are Here to Help!

If you see that your tree has been infected by needle cast or other common pests and diseases, we can help you every step of the way. We understand taking care of your trees can be stressful, that is where we come in. Give Cutting Edge Tree Professionals a call and we can diagnose the problem that your tree is having. And with science-based techniques, we can find the underlying cause of your tree’s sickness, and help get your tree back to its healthy state. Our mission is to save your tree to help keep your property beautiful. At Cutting Edge Tree Professionals we are available all year round and can come for inspections at any time. Give us a call at (814)-201-9757 or set up a consultation today, we are here to help!