TREE INJECTOR
SYSTEM
A simple, hand-held, plastic liquid injector for trees bears a
likeness to an overgrown syringe and works on much the same principle. The
system is said to be a cost efficient method for injecting insecticides,
fungicides, fertilizers, and trace elements into any limb or trunk of 2
in. diameter or greater. After an injector has been filled by submerging
its tip in solution and pulling up on the spring-loaded
"T"
handle which is then twist locked, it is ready to be tightly inserted into
a pre-drilled hole and unlocked. The internal spring then applies steady
pressure delivering the injector's contents, usually in 3 to 5 hours
depending on weather and sap viscosity. Once empty, The Chemjet® injectors
with their
bright red handles
are easily seen, quickly retrieved, cleaned, and ready for use
again.
EQUIPMENT
•Chemjet®
syringe injectors
•Chisel (only needed for large bark furrows)
•Cordless drill with a 11/16’ or a 4.2 mm high speed drill bit
•Kestrel®
, Propiconazole 14.3% MEC
•2 ½ gallon bucket for loading & carrying syringes
PREPARATION
•If using the preventative 10 mil dosage rate -Dilute 1 part Kestrel®
with 1 part water and fill the syringe with 20 mils of the solution.
•If using the therapeutic 20 mil dosage rate - do not dilute the and fill
the syringe with full 20 mils of the solution however uptake will be slow.
I do have a larger syringe available that can be loaded with 40 mils of
the 50/50 Kestrel® / water solution and uptake will be normal 3-6 hours.
The Chemjet®
syringes should be placed equidistance around the tree 4-6 inches just
above the trunk flare. If you inject at knee high place the syringes 3
inches apart. There is no difference in uptake time as
Propiconazole, a systemic fungicide,
( XMS .. Xylem Mobile Systemic )
does not require high dilution rates with water,
so treatment is considerably faster, and there is less tissue injury at
the injection site as it has a near neutral pH factor." It is most
important to treat your trees as a preventative application than as a
curative application. Once a tree becomes infected is near impossible to
save your tree.
The Chemjet® Tree
Injectors, delivers the same prescribed volume of the fungicide (
Propiconazole 14.3 % MEC ) at the preventive rate of 10 mils per diameter
inch, in a 50% concentrated solution measured at 20 mils per injector.
Each injector placed 3" apart around the trunk stem 4-6 inches above the
trunk flare. Unlike the MACRO injection system, that utilizes a very high
volume water at the rate of 10 mils of fungicide diluted per liter of
water. Often times, the tree will not absorb the full prescribed amount of
fungicide/water solution, leaving as much as a 1/3 to 1/2 of the total
required volume in the reserve tank and lines. The Chemjet®
procedure with the higher concentration is much like a booster shot of an
antibiotic only with far more effective results. The aim of tree injection
is to use the tree's natural transport system which uses the water within
the tree for dilution to distribute pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers
throughout the entire tree to the areas where they are most effective.
The damage factor with The Chemjet® Tree Injectors, are far
less invasive and the wound closure, due to the small shallow holes will
close within a few short weeks. The macro drill size takes a longer time
for closure. The MACRO damage factor is more that 85 % greater than The
Chemjet® application. Following the MACRO injection, the dirt is
replaced and fills the drill portals subjecting the tree to more peril.
This delays wound closure and often causes canker or pathogenic infections
in the root flare. Excessive damage to this most critical transition area
of the root flares, limits the water and nutrient movement to and from the
roots and can cause serious loss of vigor or eventual death.
See drill size comparison of the chemjet 11/64" to the macro 5/16"
drill size
Chemjet®
drill size:
11/64" = O
which is half the size of Macro
drill
size:
5/16" =
O
You will also use far less drill portals with the chemjet
injectors in the trunk stem on the average of one injector per diameter
inch or places 3" apart around your tree/. The MACRO injection requires a
far greater number of injectors, due to the larger exposed area of root
flare area.
( A rule of thumb: ... 3 drill portals for each diameter inch e.g
16" dia tree equates to 48 drill portal) .
( See photos below ) The Chemjet® injectors delivers far better
results, with only 16 small drill portals at a lesser cost to the tree
with smaller drill damage, faster wound closure, very efficient uptake,
less intensive labor, and best of all your job is out of the dirt
providing the least chance of pathogenic infection. ....... All in
All........ Your tree wins ! !
SAFETY :
Propiconazole
taste nasty. It will sting eyes and cuts, but causes no permanent damage
if rinsed immediately. Follow the label directions. It may irritate
sensitive skin, so wear elbow length PVC gloves, safety glasses and old
clothes when injecting. •••Take care when using sharp equipment such as
drills and chisels.
TIMING:
Injection is most effective in spring, summer & autumn, on warm, sunny
mornings. Early morning is the ideal time as the trees will shut down to
conserve water around 11:30 to noon time. You may also inject your trees
in early evening around 7 pm when it begins to cool down. Avoid injecting
on days over 100°F. Propiconazole has a two year residual and it is
recommended to repeat a follow up treatment approximately 22-24 month
later. If your trees are infected with early sighs and survives the first
treatment, it is recommended to retreat in a years time. Preventative
treatments, before infection has occurred, has been found to be more
effective than curative treatments.
Step 1
Carefully load the Chemjet® syringes from a bucket that contains the
diluted 50 /50 water - Kestrel ® ( Propiconazole MEC 14.3%) solution.
Immerse the tip of the syringe in the solution and pull the plunger back
slowly to minimize any air bubbles forming in the syringe. Twist the
plunger 1/4 turn to leave syringe in the Locked position.
Note:
The Syringes should not be preloaded and placed in the lock position for
an extended period of time. The extended time period and spring force may
damage the lock position slot. It is best to use the product
filled syringes in a minimum time following preloading.
Step 2
When injecting, if the bark furrows are deep, remove only enough of outer
bark to get a good seal with the syringe. A chisel can be used, however
this is not broadly recommended as it can cause unsightly scars in the
bark for a short time until they weather a while. If using a chisel be
careful not to go deeper than the bark tissue.
Step 3
Drill a hole into the tree trunk. Injection needs to be into the sapwood,
so don't drill any deeper than 1 1/4 ” inch and on a downward 45 degree
angle. Drill the hole 4 to 6 inches above the trunk flare or if your knees
and health dictate, you can drill at knee height so that it is comfortable
to inject, and remember the slight downward angle. Do not inject trees
under 2 ½” diameter Note: The syringe will penetrate the sap wood only
about 1/2 inch for a proper seal.
The screw thread effect on the nozzle is for strength and does not need to
be inserted into the tree.
If weeping occurs, with the open palm of your hand, apply a gentle, but
firm nudge to seat the syringe a little deeper into the sap wood.
Step 4
Drill a hole every 3 inches equidistance apart around the trunk flare
(this is almost one hand width). Multi stemmed trees need holes in each
trunk.
Step 5
As You
insert syringe nozzle into the drilled hole avoiding any twisting to
prevent damage to the syringe tip. You will not need to the use the thread
at the top of the syringe tip
(It is to provide strength to the nozzle).
Gently push the syringe tip into the hole to get a good seal. The Injector
will seat within a
1/2 inch into the xylem or sap wood. Release the plunger from the cocked
position. As mentioned above, you may have to give the red plunger handle
a gentle nudge with the open palm of your hand to help get a better seal.
Step
6
Under ideal conditions the syringes should be finished injecting in 3-5
hours. Note that trees can vary on the time taken to be injected depending
on the tree's health, time of day and weather and soil conditions. You may
have to leave the syringe over night. If significant leakage occurs try
injecting into another hole or delay injection to another day. Remove
syringes once all the Kestrel ® ( Propiconazole ) has been injected.
Step 7 Count the
syringes before use to ensure that none are lost while injecting. After
use clean the syringes with warm soapy water, (above 95 degrees F) rinse
in clean water. A regular application of silicon spray inside the
syringe's chamber will ensure they will inject smoothly. Syringes should
be disassembled at least once a season and cleaned using the manufacturers
instructions.
The Don't 's
and some little Tips
Do not drill more than three drill holes at a time, a hot drill can burn
the surrounding wood tissue. and uptake will not happen. Also you can
better keep track of the holes as they are small and can be difficult to
locate. So, do only a few holes at a time and keep your drill cool !
Do not place the syringes too close together, this may cause phytotoxicity
( leaves turning yellow )
maintain the 3 inch spacing.
If the syringes is not totally empty, you may drill another hole above the
existing hole or just leave it for a night or two.
The uptake on the Sunny Side of the tree will be much faster than the
shaded side. A cool breeze will also promote a faster uptake and the same
following a good a rain.
NOTE:
The root flare is below the soil line and the trunk flare is
above the soil line.
MOST IMPORTANT .... DO NOT
inject a tree under drought conditions, make sure you water your trees
thoroughly the day before injection. Propiconazole under drought
conditions will ZAP your tree as it causes
( phytotoxicity
...
burning and yellowing of leaves and possible eventual death )
Trunk Flare
Wounds
If you ever want to kill a tree, you would simply have create damage to
the trunk flare, into the thin layer beneath the bark it is called the
Cambium. By doing so, you cut off the tree's supply line that carries
sugars from the leaves of the tree to the root system and the tree could
die. The trunk flare is a very sensitive and a critical area, as it is the
transition area from the roots to the leaves and vice versa. Any damage is
considered substantial to this area. Even a small gouge that penetrates
through the bark can cause serious damage to a tree's vigor and limit its
long-range health.
Construction equipment, Lawn mowers and Weed eaters cause
irreparable damage to the base of the trees. As does treating trees for
fungal diseases or insect problems, drilling numerous large holes 5/16"
around trunk flare or the base of the tree can cause long term damage,
that is not visible to the naked eye.
The damage
ratio of the MACRO application is 85% greater than that of The Chemjet®
injection
application.
Wounds are serious enough by themselves, but the wounded tree must also
protect itself from pathogens that invade these wounds. Insects and soil
borne microorganisms often attack the injured cambium and invade adjacent
healthy tissue, greatly enlarging the affected area. Trees can be
completely girdled from microbial attack following injury. Decay fungi
also become active on the wound surface, and structural deterioration of
the woody tissues beneath the wound will often occur. Wound closure will
be delayed or be totally non existent due to this unforeseen damage. When
the cambium is damage in this critical area, interrupting the flow of
water, food and nutrients between the roots and the leaves, impeding the
ability of the tree to grow and may cause eventual death. Be sure to place
The
Chemjet®
Injector Syringes 4-6" above the soil line around the trunk flare, where
there is no chance for dirt and debris to enter the wounds following
treatment.
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The flare roots are exposed 4-6 inches below the soil level, the
injectors and harness are installed and connected
to the pressurized reservoir tank, as the injection begins, taking 6
to 24 hours for completion.For a 16 inch diameter tree it is
necessarey to drill 3 times the diameter or 48 drill holes. After
removal of the equipment, the dirt is replaced around the root
flares, filling the drill portals with dirt and debris. This will
cause serious canker and, microbial infections to the cambium and
sap wood
tissue. We are trying to save the tree from one disease and by doing
the job in the dirt, we inflict more serious problems than we can
possibly imagine. .... DO IT IN THE DIRT ... Out of SIGHT ... Out
of MIND.... You maybe without one TREE !!!!!!!
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The Injectors are placed 3" apart around the tree at knee high
( 0ne injector for each diameter inch ) For a 16inch
diamerer tree just 16 small drill holes. Uptake is within 3-5
hours, relitive to humidity, air temperature, wind conditions, soil
moisture and the health condition of the tree. If necessary leave
the injectors over night. The job is out of the dirt, avoiding soil
borne microbial and canker infections. Wound closure is within 3-5
weeks due to the smaller drill portals of11/64", which is half the
size of the required macro-injection drill portals. Result....
Less Labour... Less Invasive Damage........ A Healthier, A
Happier, CHEMJET TREE !!! |
Meristem
Meristem cells are plant tissue whose cells actively divide to form
new tissues that cause the plant to grow. The originally undifferentiated
cells of the meristem can produce specialized cells to form the tissues of
roots, leaves, the cambium and other plant parts. The meristem includes
the growing tips of roots and stems (the apical meristems) and the tissue
layer known as cambium..... Meristem cells play an important role in
regeneration and wound closure ....The one most important factor is that
wound closure is much faster and more efficient up the trunk stem
extending from above the trunk base and into the to upper branches as it
is associated with stem growth, the bark tissue, the
cambium,
sap wood ,which is all part of the annual increase stem diameter.
Wound Closure
There are very good research studies on wound closure. Small,
shallow holes should be enough to allow us to inject the needed amount of
product into the tree and cause the least amount of damage. A tree in good
general healthy condition, these very small shallow wounds ( 4.2 mm or
11/64" drill portal ) created in the drilling process close very readily
and will heal within weeks. Oaks trees generally have a higher rate of
wound closure.
TO ORDER KESTRE®
by the Case 4 x 1 gal jugs
:
Phoenix Environmental Care, P.O. Box 370,
Valdosta, GA
31603-0370
www.phoenixenvcare.com
KESTREL® comes in Gallons and Quarts Jugs
Toll: 1.888.241.8845 - Mobile: 1.229.563.4344 - Fax:
1.866.584.4070
TO ORDER CHEMJETS®
SYRINGES:
See Products Page: http://www.oakwilt.com/products.htm
Disclaimer:
This article may contain pesticide recommendations that are subject to
change at any time. These recommendations are provided only as a guide. It
is always the pesticide applicator’s responsibility, by law, to read and
follow all current label directions for the specific pesticide being used.
If any information in these recommendations disagrees with the label, the
recommendation must be disregarded. No endorsement is intended for
products mentioned, nor is criticism meant for products not mentioned. The
Writer assumes no liability resulting from the use of these
recommendations. The information given herein is for educational purposes
only. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the
understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement is
implied.
Scenic Hills Nuirserry -
WARRANTY DISCLAIMER : http://www.scenichillsnursery.com/disclaimer.html
