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Emerald Ash Borer Treatment in Essex & Morris County, NJ
New Jersey is fully infested — but a healthy ash tree can still be saved. Protect high-value ash with proven trunk-injection treatment from the ISA Certified arborists Essex & Morris County have trusted since 1984.
T&D Tree Service is a family-owned tree care company in Livingston, New Jersey, and the emerald ash borer (EAB) is the single most destructive tree pest we deal with. This small metallic-green beetle, native to Asia, lays its eggs in the bark of ash trees; the larvae tunnel into the layer just under the bark and feed on the tissue that moves water and food through the tree. Those winding galleries girdle the ash from the inside, and an untreated tree is usually dead within two to four years of infestation. New Jersey is now completely infested — the question in Essex and Morris County is no longer whether your ash will be attacked, but whether it’s worth protecting.
The good news: EAB is one of the few tree-killing pests we can reliably stop. Our ISA Certified Arborists protect valuable, otherwise-healthy ash trees with systemic trunk injections that move insecticide up through the canopy and kill borer larvae before they can girdle the tree. Done on the right cycle, treatment keeps a mature ash alive and healthy indefinitely — for a fraction of what it costs to remove a large dead one. We’re licensed and fully insured, and we give you an honest treat-or-remove recommendation on every tree.
Protect the ash worth saving
Diagnosis, trunk injection, health support and safe removal — whatever your ash trees need.
Trunk-Injection Treatment
TREE-áge (emamectin benzoate) injected directly into the trunk — the gold-standard protection that moves through the whole canopy.
Ash Inspection & Diagnosis
A certified arborist confirms EAB, grades canopy health, and tells you honestly whether the tree can still be saved.
Two-Year Protection Cycle
High-value ash re-treated roughly every two years so protection never lapses during the infestation.
Health & Vigor Support
Deep-root feeding and soil care so a treated ash has the strength to recover and hold its canopy.
Safe Removal of Dead Ash
EAB-killed ash turns brittle fast — we remove hazardous dead ash safely before it drops limbs.
Replanting & Follow-Up
Guidance on replacing lost ash with resilient species, plus ongoing monitoring of your treated trees.
Why trunk injection works
Insecticide injected directly into the trunk is carried by the tree’s own vascular system out to every branch, so borer larvae feeding under the bark are poisoned wherever they are. The active ingredient we rely on, emamectin benzoate (TREE-áge), is the most effective and longest-lasting option available — a single treatment protects a healthy ash for about two years. Because it’s injected, nothing is sprayed into the air or splashed on your lawn.
- Protects the entire canopy from a single set of trunk ports
- No spray drift — the insecticide stays inside the tree
- Far cheaper than removing and replacing a mature ash
- Works best on trees under roughly 30–50% canopy loss
- Keeps shade, property value and mature character in place
If a tree is already too far gone, we’ll say so and recommend a safe tree removal instead — no one benefits from treating a tree that can’t recover.
Signs of emerald ash borer
First, make sure the tree is actually an ash — then watch for these classic EAB symptoms, which usually start high in the canopy and work downward:
- Canopy dieback — thinning and dead branches at the top of the tree
- D-shaped exit holes — tiny 1/8-inch holes where adult beetles emerge
- Bark splitting — vertical cracks revealing the larvae’s S-shaped galleries beneath
- Woodpecker flecking — pale blonde patches where birds strip bark to eat larvae
- Epicormic shoots — frantic new sprouts along the trunk and base
- Serpentine tunnels under the bark — the tell-tale feeding galleries
If you see early symptoms, don’t wait — treatment is far more effective before major canopy loss. A documented arborist report confirms the diagnosis and your options.
Straightforward, effective ash protection
Confirm the pest, be honest about the tree, then protect what’s worth protecting.
Confirm & Assess
We verify the tree is an ash, confirm EAB, and grade canopy health to see whether treatment will succeed.
Treat-or-Remove Advice
You get an honest recommendation — inject and protect a savable tree, or safely remove one that’s too far gone.
Trunk Injection
Emamectin benzoate is injected into evenly spaced ports at the base of the trunk and drawn up through the canopy.
Re-Treat & Monitor
We schedule the roughly two-year re-treatment cycle and check the tree’s response so protection never lapses.
EAB treatment is part of our full plant health care program, and we protect ash across every town in Essex & Morris County.
Emerald ash borer in northern New Jersey
Emerald ash borer was first confirmed in New Jersey in 2014, and in the years since it has spread through every county in the state. The old EAB quarantine has been lifted precisely because the beetle is now everywhere — there is no longer any “safe” area in Essex or Morris County. If you have an ash tree, it is either already infested or will be, and untreated ash trees across our towns are dying and coming down in large numbers.
That matters because a dead ash is dangerous. EAB-killed ash becomes brittle unusually fast, dropping large limbs and whole tops with little warning — a serious hazard over driveways, homes and streets, and a common reason for emergency tree service after a storm. The choice is simple: protect a valuable, healthy ash now with a couple of hours of trunk injection every two years, or pay to remove a large, brittle, dead one later. From the mature ash lining the streets of Livingston and West Orange to the specimen trees on estates in Mendham and Chatham, we help homeowners make that call with clear eyes — and we never recommend treating a tree we don’t believe will make it.
What affects ash borer treatment cost in NJ
Trunk-injection treatment is priced per tree, and the cost of protecting an ash is almost always far below the cost of removing it once it dies. The main factors are:
- Trunk diameter — dosage is set by the tree’s size, so a large ash needs more product than a small one
- Number of trees — treating several ash in one visit lowers the per-tree price
- Tree health — a healthy ash injects and responds better than one already in decline
- Treatment cycle — the premium injection lasts about two years, so cost is spread across seasons
- Removal instead — for trees too far gone, we quote a safe removal rather than wasted treatment
Because T&D is family-owned and local, our pricing stays fair and the advice stays honest. Meet the team, read our reviews, learn about the wider plant health care program, or book a free estimate.
Caring for the trees of Essex & Morris County
From the estates of Short Hills and Mendham to every street in between, T&D Tree Service is the local, licensed arborist New Jersey homeowners call first.
Essex County
What Essex & Morris County says about T&D Tree
This service is THE BEST! A huge tree came down on my shed and they came out same-day. The crew worked hard to save the shed and removed the heavy limbs very carefully. Cleaned up nicely — excellent service.
I have been using T&D for years. There is no reason to use anyone else. They are reliable, competent and fairly priced. Thank you Dave.
Best tree services in Essex and Morris counties. Dave came for a prompt estimate, pulled the permit quickly, and his crew did a great job above our expectations — covered the siding and pathway to avoid damage.
I’ve used T&D multiple times and they never disappoint. Professional, friendly, efficient. They leave the area spotless — it’s clear they take pride in their work. Highly recommend!
T&D was wonderful — always on time, always when promised. David showed a vast knowledge of local trees, his team used a crane and wore safety equipment, and they cleaned up completely.
They do exceptional work at extremely reasonable prices. Dave was an absolute pleasure to work with. The tree was a monster and came down seamlessly — they truly go above and beyond.
Dave arrived on time with a reasonable quote, and the crew showed up the very morning he promised. Courteous, efficient and professional — they protected our property and cleaned up well.
Massive 50-ft tree removed at the last minute, leaving no trace on my neighbor’s yard. Amazing work for just 3 guys. Fair pricing and easy to work with.
Responsive, dependable, and his team is neat and very careful. I’ve used T&D in the past and would not do business with any other tree company in Livingston.
Very reasonable pricing. Great service. Crew arrived at the time promised. Yard was left spotless.
Emerald ash borer questions, answered
Often, yes — if it’s caught early. Ash trees with less than roughly 30–50% canopy loss respond very well to systemic trunk injection and can be kept healthy indefinitely with treatment every couple of years. Trees with severe dieback are usually too far gone to save. T&D Tree Service’s ISA Certified Arborists give you an honest assessment. Call (973) 434-5557.
The premium trunk-injection treatment we use, emamectin benzoate (TREE-áge), protects a healthy ash for about two years per application. We schedule and track that roughly two-year cycle so protection never lapses while emerald ash borer pressure remains high across New Jersey.
For a healthy, valuable ash, treatment is almost always far cheaper than removal — and it keeps your shade, privacy and property value intact. Removing a large dead ash is expensive and hazardous because EAB-killed wood turns brittle quickly. T&D will quote both honestly so you can decide, or recommend removal when a tree can’t be saved.
Trunk injections are typically most effective from mid-spring through early summer, when the tree is actively moving water and can carry the insecticide up into the canopy. That said, the most important timing is to start before the tree loses too much of its crown — earlier treatment means a far better outcome.
T&D Tree Service treats ash trees throughout Essex County and Morris County, NJ — including Livingston, Millburn, Short Hills, West Orange, Montclair, Morristown, Chatham, Madison and Mendham. See all service areas.
Have an ash tree worth saving?
Get a free, no-pressure estimate from the arborists Essex & Morris County have trusted since 1984. Same-week scheduling and 24/7 emergency response.