Birch Bark Injury: Clean, Spray for Borers, Fertilize

Landscapers peeled 14″ of bark around your birch in 2008. Now fewer leaves, bare limbs. Can you save it?

Action Plan

1. Trim loose bark edges cleanly (sharp knife).
2. Spray wound with imidacloprid (Merit) or permethrin (Onyx) to prevent borers.
3. Fertilize this fall: 10-10-10 at 1 lb/inch trunk diameter, scattered, watered in (before rain).

Why This Works

• Birch borers attack wounded trees. Preventive spray stops them.
• Fertilizer boosts vigor for wound closure.
• Tree can survive partial girdling if cambium bridges remain.

Bottom Line

Clean wound, spray for borers, fertilize. Birch can recover from significant bark loss if protected.