Many people ask how they can control the blight on a tree that is infected with the blight. One way to extend the life of an infected tree, often for a year or longer, is to apply a mudpack. This page is primarily dedicated to disseminating information about the mudpack.
One should know, though, that there are other methods of biocontrol for chestnut blight cankers.
These other methods are summarized
- On this webpage containing information by various authors,
- An article by Dr. Sandra Anagnostakis of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, and
- On the Connecticut Chapter website by Timothy McKechnie.
Massachusetts Chapter's document, TACF Staff Pathologist Dr. Fred Hebard documents the process of mudpacking, also known as a soil compress.
Here are some pictures of mudpacks. Click on the images to get larger, higher resolution photographs.
The mudpack is covered here with a black plastic trash bag and held in place with duct tape.
Mudpack on a tree in Lasdon Park Orchard in New York. Black Plastic is held in place with Chicken wire.
A healed canker after a mudpack was removed from tree at Lasdon Park in New York. Craig Hibben of TACF-NY manages these American Chestnut trees for the Chapter.
Chandis Klinger and one of his trees on which he used the "tin can method" of mudpacking
Eugene Dougherty stands with the Tuning Fork tree in Delano, PA. This tree was kept alive for 6+ years through Eugene's diligent mudpacking work. Black plastic trash bags are held in place with duct tape.
An example of how tall a tree can get using Klinger's "tin can method". PA-TACF president Tim Phelps stands at the base of the tree.
