Phylloxera

[hotwine]

A confounded root-borne disease called "oak wilt" turned up at the back of my place here in Helotes just this past week - three oaks dead, half a dozen more infected, with the whole place at risk (surrounded by 160 oaks of 6" to 30+" in diameter); spread through the root network, but also by #%^@! beetles. The best treatment so far, costing $15/diameter inch for each tree, has only a 50% success rate. Will be contracting to dig ~1000' of 4' deep trenches to sever the root network, at $10-$15/linear ft, to try to prevent the further spread. State & county horticulturists and arborists say they're working on the problem (but have made no progress in 15 years). Argh.