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ARBUTUS TREE SERVICE

Disease Diagnosis

& Plant Health Care

We provide professional plant health diagnostics grounded arboricultural science. Our goal is to move beyond symptoms, identify causal agents, and support informed decisions around treatment, monitoring, or risk management.

Arborist collecting soil samples for plant health care and disease diagnosis in a backyard garden in Vancouver, BC
  • Examining fruit tree leaves under a magnifying glass in Vancouver, BC
  • Collecting soil samples for submission to lab for nutrient and pathogen analysis
  • Codling moth bore holes and frass are signs you've got a problem with your apples
  • Collecting spruce twig and needle samples for submission to the BC Plant Health Lab
  • Gummosis or oosing sap on a tree can be the result of injury or a tree in decline
HOW WE WORK

Plant Health Investigations

When a tree or shrub starts declining, the goal is not guesswork. It is a defensible diagnosis and a plan that fits the site.

Our disease diagnosis service is IPM-based (Integrated Pest Management). We begin with the most likely causes, confirm what can be observed on site, and recommend laboratory testing only when it meaningfully improves diagnostic confidence or affects management decisions.

What’s Included

  • Site visit focused on symptoms, patterns, and site conditions

  • Sample collection when appropriate (foliar, twig, bark, etc.)

  • Basic Plant Health Lab testing included when relevant

  • Email summary with findings and practical recommendations

What We Assess On Site

Diagnosis is based on multiple lines of evidence rather than a single symptom. Depending on the case, this may include:

  • Symptoms affecting leaves, needles, bark, twigs, or canopy structure

  • Spatial patterns such as single plants versus groups, edge effects, or exposure

  • Site factors including soil moisture, drainage, root disturbance, compaction, and grade changes

  • Biotic stressors such as fungal or bacterial disease and insect activity

  • Abiotic stressors including drought or excess moisture, salt exposure, mechanical injury, heat, or herbicide exposure

When Laboratory Testing Is Needed

Some conditions can be diagnosed immediately. Others require laboratory confirmation, particularly when symptoms overlap or mimic one another. Seasonal timing can also affect what evidence is visible at the time of assessment.

Basic Plant Health Lab testing is included. In certain cases, additional tissue or soil analyses may be recommended. These typically range from $185–$280 per sample and are discussed and approved in advance, including a clear explanation of benefits and limitations.

Deliverables

  • Email summary outlining findings and recommended next steps

  • Optional detailed written report with references for complex sites, documentation needs, or decision support

Treatment Planning

If treatment is appropriate, recommendations are developed specifically for the tree, site conditions, and client goals—prioritizing practical actions, timing, and prevention.

 

FAQ: Disease Diagnosis

Others frequently ask…

  • No. Diagnosis identifies the most likely cause or contributing factors. Treatment decisions are made afterward and may include cultural changes, monitoring, or intervention along with a separate quote. 

    The good news about getting a clear diagnosis is that you will have some piece of mind and clear direction. You can conserve money and stress by taking the time to get it right.

  • Diagnosis timelines vary depending on the issue, the season, and whether laboratory testing is required.

  • An email summary with findings and recommendations is included in the initial fee. A detailed written report with references is available as an optional add-on.

    Should you need an arborist report following the diagnosis we will take the initial leg work into account when pricing out the next steps.
  • Common problems are often identified within the same week as the site visit, based on visible symptoms, site conditions, and pattern recognition.

  • Some pests and pathogens are only detectable during specific times of year. For example, fungal activity is often visible during wet periods, while chewing damage is more apparent in summer.

    When timing limits what can be confirmed, we may recommend returning for one or more follow-up visits to observe key stages in pest lifecycles or plant development.

  • IPM is an evidence-based framework for managing pests and diseases through monitoring, thresholds, and targeted intervention rather than routine treatment.

  • IPM allows us to confirm when a pest or disease actually requires treatment. This means we monitor pests and pathogens, determine their impact, and recommend interventions only when evidence shows they are necessary and likely to be effective.

  • No. Testing is recommended only when it improves diagnostic certainty or changes management decisions.
  • If laboratory testing is required, results typically take 8–12 weeks, depending on the type of sample and analysis.
  • Basic Plant Health Lab testing is included. Additional tissue or soil analyses, if recommended, typically cost $185–$280 per sample and are approved before submission.
  • Formal written reports, such as arborist reports or condition of tree assessments, require 3–4 weeks once initial findings are confirmed.