I was dead wrong about copper fungicide for oak wilt

Been treating oaks for 12 years and always thought copper fungicide was snake oil, just couldn't see how spraying a tree could stop a root disease. Then last spring my neighbor lost 3 big red oaks to wilt, but the 2 I'd painted with copper wound dressing after a storm are still standing. Anyone else had a treatment they ignored for years that actually saved trees?

2 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In

2 Comments

faitha405mo ago

Twelve years of hating on copper and now I owe it an apology" - I mean, you sure it's not just luck? Oaks are finicky and storms can do weird stuff. I've had trees that looked fine for years after a bad storm then just dropped dead out of nowhere. Two trees surviving doesn't exactly scream miracle cure to me. How long has it been since that storm? I'd wait a couple more seasons before calling it a win.

4

the_avery5mo ago

Twelve years of hating on copper and now I owe it an apology. Guess I'll be buying stock in the stuff after this little redemption arc. Funny how a storm and some neighbor's dead oaks can make a believer out of you.

2