How to Stop the Spread

What can you do to prevent Dutch elm disease from infecting your healthy elms?

• Do not store elm firewood. Elm wood can be disposed of by burning or chipping. You can usually dispose of elm material at your local landfill, please contact your municipality regarding the disposal of wood waste.
• Have an arborist or a professional with a pesticide applicators licence spray the base of healthy elms with an insecticide that is registered for use to kill elm bark beetles. The elm bark beetles spend the winter under the bark at the base of elm trees. Applications are done every two years in August or early September before the beetles move to the base of trees.
• Keep elms in healthy condition through proper tree care (pruning, regular watering, and fertilization).
• Have your healthy elm trees injected with a registered fungicide. This must be done by a trained arborist with a valid pesticide applicator licence. Such treatments are normally reserved for high value elms, as the treatments can be expensive and have to be repeated every two years.