Hints of green grass are apparent and the April showers certainly are here. It’s spring in Iowa! And with the budding trees and singing birds, come emerald ash borer questions. Here are the two most popular questions I’ve received in recent weeks.

Q. Should I be applying preventative treatments to my ash trees now?
A. No. The Iowa Department of Agriculture is not recommending prophylactic insecticide treatments for ash trees in Iowa at this time. Only when EAB is found in Iowa, should treatments be considered. Once an infestation is found in Iowa, experts will work together to make sound recommendations based on data that is available at that point in time.

Q. Where can I buy an EAB-resistant ash tree to plant in my yard?
A. Research is underway, but there are no resistant ash trees available today. Information posted on the Morton Arboretum Tree Talk ‘Hot Topics,’ February 2009, provides insight into activities underway. While there is evidence of resistance in ash trees in China, results ready for the American market will not happen overnight. “I may not see the hybrid in my generation. Introducing trees is a multi-generational thing,” says Morton Arboretum’s Kris Bachtell, Director of Collections and Facilities. “Trees are a long term investment. It’s a deliberate, but slow process.”