# Dying Pine . . .



## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

I already know the answer to this but am gonna ask anyway "just in case" . . . . 

We had 3 pine trees in our front yard until a few summers ago when two of them died due to drought. I'm not sure what kind they were I think Scotch. I noticed last week that the remaining one which I believe to be Ponderosa had all the sudden looked like the last two right before they went south. 

About 30% of the needles were brown seemingly overnight. So I started watering the tree beginning at sundown, and at sunup I move the water to catch the Water Oak and Cottonwood even though they are both healthy and will have no trouble, I'm taking no chances. 

Already the pine has responded. It has dropped most of the brown needles and the remaining needles have perked up noticeably. If this was all there was to it, I wouldn't be typing this. But this morning, while I was trying to keep an eye on the red wasps that have discovered the oasis at the base of the tree, (a clump of native flowers and the newly-found water) I saw one land on the bark about eye level and right beside it was a borer hole. I looked for more. My heart sank. 

I hadn't noticed until the wasp landed on it, but this pine tree has hundreds of borer holes - probably thousands but I am still in partial denial. I don't know what kind, but they're there. So for my two 64 thousand dollar questions:


Is there anything I can do to kill these things in a live-but-dying tree, without killing the tree? 

Has anyone ever seen a pine tree attacked by borers that lived?

I know the answers. Still hoping for some hope anyway. 






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## del schisler (Nov 5, 2009)

TexasTimbers said:


> I already know the answer to this but am gonna ask anyway "just in case" . . . .
> 
> We had 3 pine trees in our front yard until a few summers ago when two of them died due to drought. I'm not sure what kind they were I think Scotch. I noticed last week that the remaining one which I believe to be Ponderosa had all the sudden looked like the last two right before they went south.
> 
> ...


I live in so florida and some of the pine's on the back by the drainage ditch have hole's and lot's of them. Of course the tree died. Don't know what kind of pine?. I guess a fla pine and dead. My guess it is to late for the tree with holes


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## jeffreythree (Jan 9, 2008)

There are tree injections for bark beetles, but don't know much more than that such as where to get it, how much, or if your tree is a candidate. Arborjet makes the one I know of.


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

TexasTimbers said:


> I already know the answer to this but am gonna ask anyway "just in case" . . . .
> 
> We had 3 pine trees in our front yard until a few summers ago when two of them died due to drought. I'm not sure what kind they were I think Scotch. I noticed last week that the remaining one which I believe to be Ponderosa had all the sudden looked like the last two right before they went south.
> 
> ...


No And no.
Sorry.
There is a solution that can be sprayed to protect uninfected trees. These borers spread quickly from tree to tree and attack the most stressed ones first. 
Check with the co. extension service.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Gene Howe said:


> No And no.
> Sorry.
> There is a solution that can be sprayed to protect uninfected trees. These borers spread quickly from tree to tree and attack the most stressed ones first.
> Check with the co. extension service.


Unfortunately Gene is correct.

Your County Extension service is usually very helpful.

George


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

So, I can quit wasting electricity on it I guess. 


Now to decide what trees to plant along the front fence. No more pine I'll tell ya that. Maybe some of those Paulownia's. Thanks for the replies.


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## greg4269ub (Sep 1, 2009)

At trugreen we do birch and ash injections for their boring insects. when we get a customer in your shoes we will do the injection but tell them that there is a greater chance of dying than livin. with that we recommend water like you have and fert along with the water. good luck BTW the extension office suggestion is an awesome one they may have the name of a specific product you could use for your problem. if you have other healthy trees which could be affected they would let you know how to treat those as a preventative.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

I called my extension agent earlier today to ask him about my tree. After I described it to him he said "It's a goner". I said shucks I really liked that scraggly tree. As an afterthought, probably because he heard the dispair in my voice he said "There's one thing you could try if you think it's still taking water".

He wen t on to say I should try "Bayer Advanced". Said it would kill what borers were in the tree and might possibly save it. So I decided to go take a look at the tree not having seen it since I stopped watering it 2 days ago . . . . . 


















I was really happy to see that almost all the brown needles were gone (on the ground) and that the tree had perked up like new. None of the remaining green needles were dying, they all looked very much alive and healthy. Wish I had gotten a before picture but you can tell how many there were by looking at them on the lawn . . . 










And you can tell why I was so bummed about the prospect of losing this one, by looking at what's left of the other two . . . . 











I realize I could still lose it but I'm very encouraged. Especially after noticing that 99% of the borer holes in the tree are _old_. I was so bummed last week when I saw them, I just truned my head away and walked off - I never noticed until today that they are almost all old holes. This means it was attacked 3 years ago when the other two were, but it survived for some reason. 










I'm going to apply the Bayer anyway, because I did see a few that were new but only a few. I can't hardly believe that 3 night of watering may have brought this tree back from the brink. It's getting another long drink tonight. I'll keep y'all posted because from what ya'll have said, and what my Ext agent said, this is pretty rare to see a tree get this close, twice, and survive. I read it last rites a couple days ago - I guess I should have paid closer attention that the holes were old. Evidently all the tree needed was water, and being so weak the borers saw easy prey and have just started in on it again. Don't know for sure but this is my best guess.


One thing I forgot. He mentioned that our pine needles won't start dropping until late summer early fall, and that it was a little early yet so these aren't the normal shedding. 



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