Ash tree dropping leaves

[chanfish]

my biggest ash has spots and is dropping alot of leaves..i did some research and it looks like theres nothing i can do now, wait till spring and then spray before it buds out?

or just leave as is and it will refoliate.

any experiences or advise to share would be appreciated. my other ash trees are fine...for now..

[toughguy]

Are you in an emerald ash borer zone? If its got the EAB just ax it. I got rid of my healthy ash just assuming it was only a matter of time in the metro. It wasn't a huge tree so I thought it would be easier to remove now than later. It's too bad. I do like ash trees.

[chanfish]

tough guy,

i dont know. i live in carver county...i dont see any signs of eab..all the other ash trees which are close to this one dont show these signs...

[toughguy]

I don't think they're down there yet. If it's a big tree I would just wait and see what happens next year. Might be some other natural bug.

Link to DNR Map of EAB areas

[chanfish]

yeah its right next to a big blue spruce and every time i mow around there i see all these little white bug swarming around..thanks

[Powerstroke]

It is very unlikely that your tree has EAB.

There are two very common problems that affect ash trees. It sounds like you've found the right info already.

Ash anthracnose (NOT antrax). Anthracnose is a fungal disorder that sets in early in the spring and takes its toll in the mid to late summer. Leaves will wrinkle up and drop.

The bugs you are seeing could be related to the ash tree or the spruce. If its the ash tree there are mites and something called "ash plant bug" that each affect ash trees in different ways. Both can be sprayed for right away or preventably.

If its from the spruce they have their own bugs and mites that affect them.

Treatments could vary from horticultural soap to mild to strong insecticides.

EVen without looking at it, I would almost guarentee that you have anthracnose. Its super common and easy to control. Unfortunately, the topical treatments are reliable. The best way to handle it is to apply a fungicide in the spring during leaf out. Its very common and low-risk. You have to decide if losing a leaves earlier in the summer is worth the expense to treat the tree.

Best way to have it diagnosed would be to contact the city you live in and see if they have a forester. If not, you can contact a tree service that specializes in treatment of diseases. I can point you in the right direction if needed. I live in Eden Prairie, so Carver Cty is not that far.

[chanfish]

thanks powerstroke...with our wet spring that tree was in a low spot and that may have contributed to the fungi...i will wait till spring and spray..need to do my flowering crab in front yard also..that has apple scab and drops its leaves early as well..the neighbors who have these flowering crabs seem to be losing leaves too..the developer put them in...will have them looked at first and then go from there..

[Powerstroke]

SOunds like you on the exact right track. Apple scab is a very similar fungal disorder and the treatment is the same. Depending on the size of the trees you can do it yourself or hire it out. If your neighbors are interested, splitting the cost may help with the price.