Florida is known for its large collection of palm trees, but lately, these iconic trees have been facing a threat that could wipe them out. It all began in 2016 when the disease emerged and began affecting the palm trees. The disease, which is referred to as lethal bronzing, kills the palm trees in 4-5 months. The once iconic trees are gradually disappearing due to lethal bronzing and several other diseases. You can wait and hope that your palm trees won’t be affected, or you can hire the services of a tree arborist in Miami.
Why Should You Hire a Tree Arborist, Miami?
Since the 19th century, palm trees have been fashionable and trendy. For centuries, the rich and famous have owned palm gardens as a symbol of wealth. Gradually, hotels, homeowners, and posh neighborhoods began picking up the trend, and now they’re almost everywhere in Miami. However, taking care of these trees is a challenge for most, which is why you need the services of a Miami tree arborist.
These professionals will help maintain your palm trees by correcting your maintenance mistakes. They will also treat diseases and help revive dying palm trees.
Common Palm Tree Diseases
Lethal Bronzing
Have you noticed the trees in your neighborhood are turning a bronze-brown color and dying within a few months? This could be the new terminal disease known as the lethal bronzing. This disease is like lethal yellowing but has far worse effects. It’s has been threatening the continued growth of palm trees in places like Miami.
Currently, lethal bronzing has no cure, but there are preventative treatment options. The disease is spread by sap-feeding plant hoppers and has so far killed palm trees in over 31 Florida counties.
They say prevention is better than cure, but in this case, preventive treatment is the only option. With the help of One Two Tree, tree arborist in Miami, you can prevent the spread of the disease by injecting your palm trees with antibiotics. This treatment spans two years at a regular interval of 3-4 months.
Preventive treatment has now become a standard health care routine for these iconic trees. Developers are even asking tree arborists to test the palm trees for the disease before installation. The treatment option is quite expensive, as a single injection cost about $50. Each tree needs another injection every 3-4 months, which is a costly endeavor for homeowners and even Municipal governments. High-end hotels and neighborhoods such as Tahiti Beach, Gables Estates, and Indian Creek Islands must carefully consider the treatment cost as they need the trees to sustain an elevated level of ambiance.
Bud Rot
Have you noticed black lesions around young fronds and buds? Are the young leaves wilting? Are the young fronds dying out gradually and only leaving the trunk? This could be a sign of bud rot, which occurs after long periods of rainfall or overhead irrigation.
Typically, once the palms are infected, the chances of recovery are slim. A specialist like a tree arborist in Miami or the vicinity in which the tree grows will recommend that you remove the infected palms and destroy them. This prevents the spread of the disease to healthy palms.
The arborist can also recommend the use of preventive fungicides to protect developing tissue.
How to Revive a Dying Palm Tree
The sight of lush green palm trees along the coast of Miami evokes the feeling of being in paradise. It’s a feeling that everyone needs to experience, but it soon turns sour at the sight of discolored leaves. Your palm trees could be dying due to diseases, fungal infections, pests, lack of adequate nutrients, and water. The only way to know the actual problem is to consult professionals such as One Two Tree, a certified tree arborist in Miami.
A tree arborist will revive your tree by:
Watering
Your palm tree is dying from overwatering or getting too little water. Regardless of how much you want your tree to flourish, you need to regulate how much water you give it. Too much water isn’t good for the tree, which is why palm trees thrive in areas with sandy soil.
Sandy soil has good drainage, which is favorable for palm trees as it prevents the roots from drowning. Your tree could be dying from neglect despite being hardy. You don’t expect a tree to survive for long without water. Its leaves will begin to dry out, and eventually, the lush green leaves will disappear. You can avoid this by watering your palm trees, but don’t overdo it.
Providing the Necessary Nutrients
The tree arborist will check if your soil has ample nutrients to sustain the continuous growth of the palm trees. In case they are not enough, the specialist will recommend using fertilizers to supplement the nutrients being provided by the soil.
You can try to save money by buying cheap fertilizers, or you can opt to buy fertilizers that provide the required nutrients. Also, your tree could be dying due to burning damage. This typically results from the wrong fertilizer application.
For example, if you apply the fertilizers too near the roots, it will burn the roots. Therefore, the arborist will recommend that you apply the fertilizers at least 19.5″ -24″ from the roots.
Use the Correct Soil
If the tree is past the point of revival, you can consult your Miami tree arborist about the preferred soil conditions. This will help you prepare better conditions for your next palm trees.
Eliminate the Pests
The other reason could be pests or diseases. Your beautiful trees could be harboring pests that are spreading diseases causing it to slowly die. Your tree arborist will inspect the trees for signs of diseases and pests. The next step will be to eliminate the pests and treat the diseases, if any.
Proper Pruning
It’s often said that pruning your tree helps it grow better; however, when dealing with palm trees, you ought to be careful. Palm trees are arguably some of the most difficult trees to prune. You might end up damaging your trees while trying to prune the branches.
This is why such work is left for professional tree trimming experts like One Two Tree, certified tree arborists from Miami. We have the skill to prune the trees without damaging or over-pruning.
While it’s said that pruning trees will help them survive a hurricane, the same doesn’t apply to palm trees. Our Florida palm trees need every single branch to survive a hurricane. This means that trimming the branches reduces their chances of survival.
Conclusion
For many, the idea of paradise is comprised of lush green palm trees on a sandy beach. The thought that these beautiful trees could die off due to disease is saddening. Fortunately, you can hire a tree arborist, Miami is home to one we highly recommend, to treat your sick trees and ensure you follow the correct maintenance routines. Please, if you have a love for palm trees like we do, call us at One Two Tree before it is too late for us to help.
