First, if anyone has suggestions for a category for this, please post it. I ended up putting it under Misc. Silvaculture? Plant diseases? Do we need a category?

In my area, oak wilt is a problem. Mostly affects the red oaks, but apparently no oak species is immune, and it affects many other trees as well. You can do searches on the Internet if you want more information.

I am posting about this because of something a friend told me recently. She works for the University in the Limnology Dept (study of lakes), thus she hears about a lot of different ecological issues (not just lakes). Apparently, it is now thought that the spread of this "wilt" is not only due to insects, but also from wood chips! I guess that makes sense -- if an infected tree is cut down and chipped, then the disease is in the wood chips. Unfortunately, chipping up the tree is one of the ways recommended to deal with the diseased tree.

So how does that affect you or me? Well, being the eco-freaks that we are, don't we get wood chips from the tree removal services or county programs, etc. to use as mulch? Are we unwittingly helping spread a disease, or possibly several diseases?

Any thoughts? Any information? This is a real bummer to me because using chipped up trees seem like such a good recycling measure!

-- Anonymous, July 28, 2001

Answers

Oh my!!! I hope that this information is wrong because we have several tons of woodchips that have recently been dumped here by a tree removal service. We were looking for mulch and they were looking for a place to dump. Free to us both...........maybe not a good plan??? This could be a real bummer!!!!

-- Anonymous, July 28, 2001

Yeah, and I don't know any way to confirm or disprove this either. I was wondering if spraying the chips (as they were laid down in layers) with vinegar would do in fungi. That vinegar kills an awful lot of undesireable things.

-- Anonymous, July 28, 2001

I don't intend to worry about it. I will continue using my wood chips, and the manure from the sale barn, and anything else I can drag in here. If it causes problems, I will deal with them as they come up. (Sorry, I sound cranky - have been listening to people all day saying "I can't" or "maybe we shouldn't" when they need to get off their butt and get out and DO something!! Even if it's wrong!) I think the vinegar would probably be a good idea, or possibly some lime; as wood chips are generally pretty acidic anyway.

-- Anonymous, July 28, 2001

Joy, is there a cure for the Oak Wilt? Will something stop the tree from dying? It would be sad for sure, as I have 3 massave Oaks on the west side of the house, and one massive Maple on the south. They were planted there on purpose for shade around this old farmhouse.

I haven't gotten any chips from the tree people. But I did tell them I would like the branches intact for the goats. They haven't brought any up here. These guys were doing the power line areas. Something to think about though.

-- Anonymous, July 29, 2001

This is very annoying -- does it happen to any of you? I searched for oak wilt sites and didn't find anything definitive when I was posting this. Today, I searched and came up with DIFFERENT sites! I think the first time I put in "red oak wilt" and this time just "oak wilt" -- but you'd think you'd get the same sites! Okay, end of crabby tantrum . . .

I found this page: Oak Wilt FAQ's
which is from this site: City of Austin
It says "Chipping or shredding the wood from infected trees to use as mulch is an acceptable method of utilizing the wood. The oak wilt fungus has certain moisture and temperature requirements in order to live. Chipping or shredding allows the wood to dry out quickly, thereby killing the fungus."

Here are more sources:
More on oak wilt
This is the one that I saw when I first posted on this subject. USD A
It doesn't say specifically that the fungus will not survive chipping. The first link in this post is more specific!

I probably wouldn't have posted this if I'd found all these sites the first time around. [sigh] Nevertheless, I still am not certain HOW you would know that the chips had been dried sufficiently to kill the fungus. I've seen big, wet heaps of wood chips. I guess I'd make sure I spread out any chips ASAP to get them dry enough to kill the fungus. Out in the sun would probably help.

Well, sorry for raising a possibly false alarm. I'll have to talk to my friend and see if what, if any, new information engendered this worry.

Cindy, the methods of treating and/or preventing the disease are outlined in the websites. It appears that once a tree has the disease, nothing can help it, but there are ways to prevent it spreading to nearby trees. All expensive of course, and some of them toxic. Pruning only at the right time and painting wounds properly seems to be the easiest and cheapest methods of prevention.

-- Anonymous, July 29, 2001

Watch me spread about 5 tons of wood chips out to dry?????? I guess I will just have to have a little faith that their isn't a big bunch of killer fungus in there.........thanks for the links and the heads up.

-- Anonymous, July 29, 2001

I have oak wilt in my woods and around my property... it is on its 3rd time through... yes, it just keeps going and going..

the part I hate about oak wilt is the lack of trees I have... I used to have a tree enclosed yard... not anymore... just a few ash are going..

we never cut trees here in the warm months unless we disinfect the saws and related equipment with household bleach... we work with the trees when the sap is down or slow...

as far as chips... I don't normally use them... I have old hay to use up yet...

-- Anonymous, July 29, 2001