\u00a9 2020 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Remember that chemical pesticides often aren't safe for the environment. Re-treatment might be necessary the following year to ensure the longevity and overall health of your Red and Live oak trees. While the oak wilt pathogen can infect all species of oak, those in the red oak group (leaves with pointed lobes) die about two months after infections. However, it can be applied after the tree develops symptoms. This is also the time when the fungal mats are actively producing spores. Protecting Pruning Cuts or Wounds: Trees near oak wilt centers that are wounded or that must be pruned during the most active insect and fungal mat season, should be protected with a wound paint. Step 1. How samples are taken and handled is vital to the success of a laboratory analysis. Step 2. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. This article has been viewed 3,508 times. The costs of oak wilt treatment measures are comparatively reasonable – compared to the value the trees contribute to the overall property value and compared to the costs of doing nothing. Don't prune your trees during the winter through early-mid summer (between February 15 and June 15 in the US). Involuntarily, these insects … It is always best to use a mixed planting of trees to add variety to the landscape and reduce the chance of a recurrence of oak wilt or similar disease problems. Trenching is disruptive, expensive, and difficult in an urban neighborhood. The fungus prevents water and nutrients from traveling throughout the tree by infecting its vascular system. How to Identify Oak Wilt . 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