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Two years ago, emerald ash borer struck my region. I and several of my neighbors made the tree services rich, taking down the trees before they came down on their own and causing damages. I lost three trees total (although I gained 2.5 cords of firewood).

Of those trees, one of them was special. All of them were covered with little D-shaped holes, all of them had pieces of loose bark, and all of them had few if any leaves on their lower branches. But that one had much better bark adhesion, and many more leaves in its upper branches. Further, there are now a few saplings growing around that stump- they are full of leaves and almost 4 feet (1.3m) tall already. I've convinced myself this tree was of hardier stock than the rest, and possibly genetically pre-disposed to EAB resistance. I want to encourage that.

While I burned out the other two stumps, I've left this one, and would like to give these saplings the best chance to make it. I started this April with an Optrol (Imidacloprid) soak, and will continue each year.

What other steps should I take? Among the things I am wondering:

  • Should I pick one sapling and focus on it, pruning back the others? Would this allow that one to maximize use of available nutrients and moisture? Or would it be better to wait a few years and see which ones do best on their own? Or would it be best to let it grow as a multi-tree?
  • The stump. It is maybe just larger than one foot (0.3 - 0.4m) around and the same in height. The saplings are sprouting right at the edges of the stump. Should I cut it lower, cut it away from the edges of the saplings, leave it alone, or other?
  • This year, some blue-white shelf-shaped fungus grew on the stump. Should I do anything about that? Does this change the answer to the above?
Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL
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cobaltduck
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3 Answers3

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In addition to the answer already given, the appearance of shelf or bracket fungus on the stump means it's dying, or doomed to die, anyway. The fungal mycelium will have invaded the heartwood of the stump, and the fruiting bodies you now see on the outside are the signal that's its well on its way to breaking down the wood of the tree. The shoots you describe as saplings, if they are coming directly off the stump, are not saplings as such, but merely new shoots, because the roots of the stump are not yet dead. If any actually have some root attached, you could try detaching it, with root, and grow on separately, that might work, but given the presence of EAB in the area, its probably best to burn out the stump and its shoots.

Bamboo
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6

I agree with the answers from our fellow gardeners Bamboo and Stormy. Grub out the stump now and don't encourage another EAB visit to your neighbourhood. The remnants of the tree will grow until the stems become thick enough for EAB to make another visit. Searches in this forum will show a few interesting opinions along the lines of "after ten or twelve years in a neighbourhood there are no ash trees left to eat so they will all die off and you can replant". This is a very hopeful and interesting message to homeowners who like their ash trees.

A complete answer ventures into the fields of ecology and the study of invasive organisms where an all purpose answer becomes murky. Within two miles of where I live most ash trees are dead. Drive north an hour and a half and EAB has not reached there yet and they are alive. I can drive south to Maine and see ash trees in urban areas that are alive. Are they resistant or has the EAB not reached there yet?

Within the time frame that most homeowners have patience for you are better off to plant another species of tree that is native and will not provide hours of extra work or expense wondering if the Emerald Ash Borer will make a return visit. If you really want to hedge your bets plant a Gingko which is immune to many pests and now comes in most shapes and sizes you could ask for.

Community
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kevinskio
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5

Here's the bad news; one NEVER plants the same genus/species in the same place where a disease or insect killed the former inhabitants. EAB

Because of the spread of EAB it is actually contraindicated and poor stewardship to plant more of their beloved foods to includes Cionanthus and Osmanthus...but there is a Chionanthus retusus that actually adapted to EAB in China. We need to starve this insect to get rid of it. EAB couldn't use Chionanthus because it produces some chemical to ward off these insects.

Bag the Ash trees...unless you want to Bonsai one for indoors?

stormy
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