How to Get Rid of Borers in Trees
- 1). Inspect the trees in your landscape for signs of borers. Look for small holes in the surface of the bark. The holes may appear round, although they also can have a semi-circle or oval shape. Examine the edges of any existing holes in the bark for evidence of frays. This borer excrement looks like particles of sawdust near the small entryways. Examine the foliage of the trees for segments of wilting leaves and branches, another indication of borers residing in your trees.
- 2). Fertilize the infested trees with a tree food labeled for use on your specific varieties of trees. Fertilizer helps strengthen the overall health of your infested trees, improving their chances of surviving a borer infestation. Water frequently and deeply enough to fulfill the moisture requirements for your particular trees. Most trees require even, yet light, moisture at the depths of the roots. Drought, wind damage and excessive heat may weaken your trees and make them more prone to borer damage.
- 3). Trim the damaged branches or segments of dead foliage from the affected trees. The displaced borers may quickly exit the pruned branches and seek shelter in healthy trees. Avoid this migration by removing all trimmed vegetation from the area. Avoid using borer-infested trimmings in your mulch pile or compost bin.
- 4). Apply an insecticide treatment that contains permethrin, chlorpyrifos or carbaryl in the fall, according to the instructions on your pesticide product. Use this treatment when you notice the appearance of borer insects emerging from the bark. This usually occurs late in the growing season, prior to plant dormancy. Apply the pesticide treatment to the infested trees on a calm day to avoid overspray.
