Don't get caught out!

It is up to you to protect your trees and natives from Dieback. A 500 year old Jarrah can die in a week if it gets the disease. You need to make the treatment before your natives get sick - so don't get caught out. Treatment only takes roughly 10 minutes per tree - in a couple of hours you can do your whole half an acre.

Depending on the plants you need to protect, you need to use one of two methods to apply the Dieback treatment - either the Spray treatment or Injection treatment. After you read the instuctions and treat your first tree, you will see that it is actually quite easy. Syringes and the chemicals are available for hire at the Roleystone Hardware.

We have used Phos-Inject 200 in our instructions because you can get it at the Roleystone Hardware. It is a 200g/L Phosphorous acid solution, or 20% concentration. If you can't get Phos-Inject 200, ask us for help at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  You can do more damage if you inject the wrong concentration of chemical into your tree.

Go to Products and Services for suppliers of the chemical and syringes.

But if this is all too hard for you, join us on one of our field days and we'll show you what to do. We'll even lend you the gear for free if you help that morning.

Alternatively you can get a contractor to do it for you. Go to Products and Services for details of Contractors.

 Injection Treatment

Trees need to be injected into their trunks. The mix is made up and loaded into syringes. The syringes are drilled into the tree and left to absorb into the tree.

Pick a sunny day to do this as the trees will absorb the solution quickly when their leaves are in the sun.

To make 400mL of injection solution mix:

• 100mL of Phos-Inject 200
• 300ml of water

To apply:

1. Load up all your syringes with the solution. Immerse the tip of the syringe in the solution and pull the plunger back. Twist the plunger to leave syringe in the cocked position.
2. Clean off the loose dry bark with a broad chizel - but don't go deep or you will scar the tree. Drill a 5mm hole into the tree, preferably with a wood drill. Don't drill any deeper than 3-4 cm. Look for live, juicy bark. Avoid dead wood as it will not draw in the solution.
3. Push the syringe into the hole to get a good seal. Then release the plunger so that the solution releases in the tree. You should not see any fluid escaping - it all needs to go into the tree. It can take up to 30min for the tree to take in the solution - assuming it is a sunny day and the tree is healthy. (leave in the tree and go back occassionally to check that the fluid has emptied into the tree.)
4. Repeat around the tree. Drill a hole every 20 cm around the tree trunk (approximately one hand width). Multi-stemmed trees need injection into each trunk.

Injection needs to be applied every 3 - 5 years.

For more comprehensive instructions using the higher concentration of phosphite, click on the following file:  Injection Treatment 169.82 Kb

Spray Treatment

Grasstrees and small plants need spray treatment. The mix is made up and sprayed over the plants.

To make 10 litres of spraying solution mix:

• 250ml of Phos-Inject 200
• 25mL of Synertrol Oil
• 10 litres of Water

To apply:

1. Mix into a spray backpack. You will need to shake the mixuture to keep the oil from separating.
2. Spray over the plants so that the leaves are wet and dripping.
3. Spraying should only occur when rain free days are forecast for at least two days ahead.
4. Spray treatment needs to be applied every 2-3 years.

For more comprehensive instructions using the higher concentration of phosphite, click on the following file:  Spray Treatment 141.92 Kb