# Spreading Disease from tree to tree with saws?



## l2edneck (Oct 30, 2006)

Myth or not?

I can not find evidence.If someone has some articles on this please post them.Thank You.


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## treeseer (Oct 30, 2006)

Not a myth but not 100%.


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## ShoerFast (Oct 30, 2006)

"_*Infected Tools*

Pruning tools can also transmit Dutch elm disease. All tools should be cleaned before pruning a healthy tree. Some arborists recommend a 10% solution of household bleach._"

http://www.elmcare.com/disease/dutchelm/transmission.htm


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## maxburton (Oct 30, 2006)

I looked, I asked, I searched. There is no experimental support for the idea that diseases are transmitted by pruning tools. Those who have tried in controlled research environments have failed to transmit diseases this way.


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## John464 (Oct 30, 2006)

I have a competitor that makes his guys do this at the end of the day. He calls it sterilizing the equipment. I call it wasting time. Make sure the saws are sharp and the bar and filter is clean and thats as clean as you gotta be.


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Oct 30, 2006)

My local plant pathologist explained it to me quite simply by saying, "Of course you can move diseases around with pruning tools, that's how we move plant pathogens around in the lab, with metal tools!"

If I cut an Oak Wilted tree, for example, would I take that same saw and cut on one of my own Oak trees that is not infected? No freaking way.
Would I cut an Oak Wilted tree, and then use the same saw to cut a customers Oak tree without some sanitation? No freaking way.
DED, the same thing, of course it can be moved with pruning tools!

What other diseases can be spread with pruning tools? Given some time I could come up with a list, but there are some diseases I wouldn't worry about.

This is the problem, unless you are an expert on how each disease spreads, how do you know if you should be sanitizing your tools?
I hope even John464 knows if the last tree he trimmed was a DED Elm, and the very next tree he's going to work on is another Elm, he needs to clean up his tools, but what about diseases he's not aware of? 
It's obvious, John's competition is way ahead of him.

The poll is a little confusing. It's not 100% you will spread disease each time you trim, it is 100% you *can *spread disease by pruning.


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## B.Secord (Oct 30, 2006)

An alternative to diluted bleach is methyl hydrate, it is easier than bleach on the eyes,as well as less corrosive to your saws. In Saskatchewan we are required to disinfect our tools between pruning elm trees, in order to prevent the tramsmission of the fungus that causes DED.

There are also some strong suggestions to disinfect your tools when you are pruning things like Black-knot and fire blight infected trees.

The reason that I personally use the methyl hydrate is the fact that bleach and water tends to freeze outside at this time of year


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Oct 30, 2006)

Good point. And bleach does bad things to "soft" climbing gear like ropes and saddles. I hate falling to my death.
Rubbing Alcohol works good for me.


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## TheTreeSpyder (Oct 30, 2006)

Our Holly's can get Witch's Broom from pruning soon after pruning infected tree with same tools as used on an infected tree; unsanitized. Not many around here left, and generally don't get a lot of pruning, so not a big problem. 

Some Palms in California i think have a similar problem in head.
Similar to Holly scenario: Fungal problems at base can be spread around here with same tools they say. But the only reason to put 044 into palm is to remove at infected base i always figured; so just don't use trim saw to remove and get it infected!(?)


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## trevmcrev (Oct 31, 2006)

A recent newspaper article here in Melbourne.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,,20580156-2862,00.html

and a link to another forum with pics of the palms they are talking about.

http://www.walkingmelbourne.com/forum/about742-0.html

Trev


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## Ekka (Oct 31, 2006)

I reckon that's BS about brush tailed possum eating the new shoots Trev.

I have seen rainbow lorikeets, galahs and even crows doing it. Possums feed at night and would come down out of the trees, perhaps eat the fruit on them.

But anyway, you should dissinfect your tools when working on suspisciuous trees (diseased tree etc)

And Tree Spyders right, no need to disinfect the 44 prior to a culling.


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## smokechase II (Oct 31, 2006)

*spreading disease*

I simply use draino for bar oil and don't believe I've had a problem with any disease.

Picture large fire camps with hundreds of vehicles where they get a full wash, top and bottom, before leaving to limit the spread of noxious weeds.


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Oct 31, 2006)

smokechase II said:


> I simply use draino for bar oil and don't believe I've had a problem with any disease.
> 
> Picture large fire camps with hundreds of vehicles where they get a full wash, top and bottom, before leaving to limit the spread of noxious weeds.


???


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## John Paul Sanborn (Oct 31, 2006)

Mike Maas said:


> ???



Sarcasm Mike, he's a USFS firefighter, one of the good fellers.


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## smokechase II (Oct 31, 2006)

*mixed up*

Sorry.

Draino was made up.

The wash stuff in fire camps does go on.

I have no science to back me. But I thought sure that if I cut through a gall that all those spores on myself and saw would be a bad idea to spread elsewhere.


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## HELSEL (Oct 31, 2006)

*Oak Wilt*

The most important thing when protecting your trees from oak wilt is understanding the disease and how your trees become infected. Many times people create the problem themselves by simply pruning trees. Mother Nature is guilty of a lot the outbreaks we see. And even utility, construction, or fence companies are responsible. None of these entities maliciously try and spread the disease, but it’s their lack of knowledge or understanding of the disease that causes the problem. 

Untreated wounds on a tree, whether they occur because you cut down a limb that blocks your view or a fierce thunderstorm breaks a limb with it’s wind gusts, can open an opportunity for the tree to become infected. There are several easy steps you can use as a guide to help protect your trees.

Proper Pruning: Whenever you create a wound on your oak you are opening a door inside your tree for oak wilt. When your list of “honey-do’s” comes around and you start trimming your trees it is imperative that you immediately seal the wound with a pruning paint. Pruning paint enables the tree to heal itself without the risk of unwanted beetles carrying the disease to enter. However, we do not recommend pruning any oaks between February 1st and June 30th.

Survey Your Trees: It is always a good idea to periodically check your trees for new wounds or broken limbs. It is very important to look at your trees after a big wind storm or thunderstorm. If you encounter a wound cover it immediately with some pruning paint.

Protecting Your Investment: Anytime you have a contracted laborer or company perform work on your property make it very clear with the other party that you require all wounds and damaged trees to be properly sealed. Strictly monitor their dedication to immediate sealing. If they just seal when the job is done it’s too late.

Clean Your Blades: If you are unfortunate enough to have an infected tree it is very important to clean your chainsaw, machete, or other tool used when trimming these trees. The disease can be transferred from one tree to the next just by using the same tool on an infected tree and then on another. The cleaning process is very simple. All you need to do is submerge the blade into a solution of bleach and water, wipe it off and then rinse.

Proper Firewood Storage: Infected trees that are cut down should not be used as firewood unless stored safely for a year or more. However if possible the burning of the infected trees is recommended. Placing a plastic cover over your stored wood also protects 

Rick


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## toscottm (Oct 31, 2006)

*Tools: Spreading Disease*

I'm not going to participate in the discussion of 'can' you transmit a disease from one tree to another via contaminated tools, but instead express my expertise with respect to potential concerns that may arise related to the liability. Most importantly, note that it doesn't matter if indeed 'you' are ultimately found to have transmitted the disease. All someone needs to do is allege that you transmitted a disease and infected their 'property' (tree) and the legal costs start adding up. Note that contaminating someone's property (transmitting disease) is not something covered by general liability insurance. Environmental liability is the necessary insurance. Anyone interested in discussing this, just let me know.


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Oct 31, 2006)

> Oak Wilt
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> ...


Good post Rick. The only point of contention is the time of year open wounds can be a problem. My guess is that this is a geographic thing, but since you are in MI and I'm in WI, we are pretty close to the same climate.
You need three things for insects to spread Oak Wilt: an insect, fungal spores, and an open wound.
Since a wound can open any time of year, that's not a consideration in the time window. 
Insects are actively moving around from about mid March to early November. So that closes the window from November to March, the winter months.
The big question is, when are those fungal spores around? 
They are certainly most attractive to insects when the first open up. Depending on where you are located, and weather conditions on that year, that's early June to late July. But the spores are there all year long. I can go out today, November 1st, and find a fungal mat. 
The window does not close on the time the spores are around.
It takes about 2 weeks for a wound to harden off, so I advise people not to prune Oaks from about a month before first expected insect activity, until the first good hard freeze of the year.


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## trevmcrev (Nov 1, 2006)

Ekka said:


> I reckon that's BS about brush tailed possum eating the new shoots Trev.QUOTE]
> 
> Yeah i agree, i were posting it more from the animal libbers point of view that it was more likely the council contractors tools to blame.
> 
> ...


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## smokechase II (Nov 1, 2006)

*Cheeeezzee*

trevmcrev:

I assume you charged the customary $ 50 Australian for that removal.

Curious as to which way you dropped it where you put the burn pile of limb/frond slash.


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## M.D. Vaden (Nov 1, 2006)

I have no proof that leaving banana peels on stairs will make someone slip,

But I believe it would.


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## trevmcrev (Nov 2, 2006)

smokechase II said:


> trevmcrev:
> 
> I assume you charged the customary $ 50 Australian for that removal.
> 
> Curious as to which way you dropped it where you put the burn pile of limb/frond slash.



hahaha, not quite. More like $2500. With no drop zone we used a mini scissor lift that fit through the front galss sliding doors, and went up and down every block, passing it to a groundie, then up again. Went quicker than i thought. Clean up was not too bad as we used drop sheets. Stump grind below the grade was a bit difficult and messy and all chips had to be removed. We were done by 1pm. Just in time for lunch and a driiiink maybeeee.
Not every day the tree you work on is this close to a bar


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Nov 2, 2006)

trevmcrev said:


> I believe these are suffering from Fusarium Wilt. How it got there first, who knows, but this is indoors, inside a hotel bistro, so i hope its not rats, possums, birds or the like.



Couldn't it be the soil conditions...the surface looks a little compacted. 
The trees probably just outgrew their pots.


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## smokechase II (Nov 2, 2006)

*bar and work don't mix.*

trevmcrev:

So how many drinks did $2500 get you? We would expect a generous tip.

That has to be the classic photo of the most absurb, difficult, tree removal location I've ever seen.

Well done.


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## trevmcrev (Nov 4, 2006)

Mike Maas said:


> Couldn't it be the soil conditions...the surface looks a little compacted.
> The trees probably just outgrew their pots.



No doubt the growing location is crap! The area is so limited and soil would be depleted. The irrigation also had stopped working for a while.


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## trevmcrev (Nov 4, 2006)

smokechase II said:


> trevmcrev:
> 
> So how many drinks did $2500 get you? We would expect a generous tip.
> 
> ...



Thanks, what seemed like one of those jobs that could be more trouble than its worth actually pretty smoothly. 

I wish i got pics on the day we did the removal.


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