![\"\"](\"https:\/\/treecarebyguy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/oak-wilt-symp-2-300x225.jpg\")
live oak leaf symptomatic of oak wilt<\/p><\/div>\n
For more details about oak wilt,\u00a0 see my dedicated oak wilt page, or go to my previous post on it.\u00a0 But since it is that time of year<\/em>, I thought I’d revisit the issue here.<\/p>\n Regarding those signs, you’ll notice most of them say “Do NOT Prune Oaks…”, etc.\u00a0 Well, the guidelines they were derived from never said “do not prune…”<\/em>.\u00a0 They recommended avoiding<\/em> oak pruning in the spring.\u00a0 The latest version of those guidelines (on my oak wilt page) indicate what oak pruning can<\/em> (and actually should) be done year-round,<\/strong> but really should be left to professionals during those springtime months.<\/p>\n The reasoning behind this is quite logical.\u00a0 First, the oak wilt fungus cannot enter a tree through dead tissue.\u00a0 It must be alive, with open, moist vasculature.\u00a0 This is why experts advise people that painting old wounds is of no use and why wound paint is only of value when it is applied immediately (not hours after the wound is made).\u00a0 It is also why the guidelines state that dead branches can<\/em> be removed at any time of year<\/strong>.\u00a0 (However, one must be careful about possibly exposing some live tissue when doing this.)<\/p>\n Second, since the disease can enter an oak through fresh wounds, it stands to reason that any such wounds should be eliminated immediately.\u00a0 Limbs rubbing on buildings, or damaged by trucks, or even rubbing against other limbs all cause open wounds.\u00a0 Leaving them until July just doesn’t make sense.\u00a0<\/strong> By eliminating the damaged or at-risk limbs (using proper techniques and painting the cuts, of course) we eliminate the risk, at least in that spot.\u00a0 Remember that storms, insects and animals (yeah, I’m talking ’bout you, squirrels<\/em>) cause countless wounds that cannot be prevented.<\/p>\n So back to the signs.\u00a0 What happened was there was a large amount of truly horrific tree pruning in northwest Austin at the time (still is, actually, as is true city-wide), and this led neighborhood leaders to begin a campaign for a seasonal ban on oak pruning altogether (rather than, duh, begin a campaign of educating people about hiring hacks, which would have protected their neighborhood year-round).\u00a0 They even pushed for an ordinance at city hall.\u00a0 Fortunately, several local arborists also met with council members and educated them about the real problem (you’re welcome!).\u00a0 Unfortunately, council chose not to take any action to protect consumers against scammers masquerading as tree companies.<\/p>\n As always, your best defense against dead trees is to only use competent arborists on your property.\u00a0 Keep in mind that this does not simply mean hiring “certified” arborists.\u00a0 Please see my page on hiring an arborist for details.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a9\u00a0 2017-2019 Guy LeBlanc all rights reserved Well, it’s that time of year again, when most arborists are inundated with the question “Is it safe to prune my oaks now?”\u00a0 or, “Why are there signs in my neighborhood saying I … Continue reading