A website from UGA Cooperative Extension

Do you have pine trees around your home? Chances are that you have some near your house. Pine trees are abundant here in the mountains. They’re a large part of the natural beauty. Pine trees aren’t difficult to care for, and most will go their whole life without needing any additional care, but there are a few things to look out for.

Pine trees are part of a group called conifers that includes pines, cypresses, firs, hemlocks, and spruce among others. Conifers stay green year round. Conifers are unique because they don’t have flowers, instead they have cones. Conifers are in the broader classification of gymnosperm which in Latin means, ‘naked seed.’ Conifers are known for being very fast growing trees, so timely management of them is important.

Some diseases to watch for on pine trees are fusiform rust, littleleaf disease, and pitch canker. Fusiform rust produces galls on the on the stems or branches of infected trees. Slash pine is particularly susceptible to this disease. Littleleaf disease infects pine roots, especially in shortleaf pine. The first visible symptoms above ground are a decline in the canopy with yellowing leaves and dwarfed new foliage, hence the name littleleaf. The best prevention is to apply a 5-10-5 fertilizer to your tree to keep it healthy. Pitch canker causes lesions that can encircle limbs, roots, and tree trunks. The canker cuts off water flow to the infected area, and so needles will turn yellow and brown, falling off the tree. Infected limbs should be cut off about 3 or 4 inches below the canker.

Pine bark beetles are another threat to pine trees. Pine bark beetles will usually not infest trees that are happy and healthy. Pine bark beetles become an issue when a tree has been stressed either by drought, age, overcrowding, diseases, fire, lightning, or other insects. There are several types of pine beetles found in Georgia. There are Ips engraver beetles, the southern pine beetle, and the black turpentine beetle. The best way to prevent pine bark beetles from infesting your trees is to do the best you can in making sure that they aren’t stressed. That could include watering them during periods of drought, protecting them from fire damage, or if you’re planting them make sure that they are spaced to have enough room when they’re full grown.

Pine trees are a danger to fall during storms. Because they are so tall they stand above surrounding trees and don’t have a windbreak to protect them. A healthy and sturdy root base will reduce the chances of a tree toppling over. Check tree roots that are near your house to make sure that they look healthy and are not rotting. Signs of rot will be blackening of the roots themselves, excessive needle drop from the canopy above, or even growth of mushrooms around the base of the tree. If you determine a tree has become a hazard always call a professional to remove your tree.

If you suspect that you have a problem with your pine trees you can take some pictures and send them to Jacob.Williams@uga.edu. Ideal pictures will include an up close, a picture of the entire tree, and the tree from multiple angles. In this case quantity can make up for quality! You can also bring in a sample to the local Extension office, just make sure that the sample is large enough to give a good idea of what is going on. For more information, contact the Union or Towns County Extension offices.

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