Welcome to Gall Busters, LLC
Gall Busters, LLC is a company that was specifically created for removing crown gall on both walnut and almond trees. Its genesis came from
the owner confronting hundreds of trees in his own orchard that became infected with crown gall. As any grower knows, the difficulty, the
time involved, the costs, and the process in removing and preventing gall from continuing to spread around a tree is more than frustrating,
evening maddening.
The company was formed in 2008. After ten years of the owner trying one chemical formulation after another that would meet EPA and DPR
requirements concerning environmental safety, lack of translocation from point of application to nut meats, worker safety, viability of the
chemical, ease of application, and 16 months of field testing; the result was the chemical called Gall Buster.
Since 2008, Gall Busters, LLC has treated tens of thousands of trees in dozens of orchards ranging from a few acres to hundreds of acres containing both Paradox and Northern California Black root stocks.
Identifying Gall
Crown Gall is caused by a bacterium, Agrobacterium Tumefaciens, which is found in almost all soils. Crown galls appear as abnormal, irregular
growths, similar to tumors. They appear on a tree at or below the soil surface, on roots, and on trunks.
Gall Cracking
This photograph shows gall cracking the soil as it grows and starts to emerge. Careful use of a shovel or
air compressor will expose it.
Two Year Old Tree
This photograph shows gall that has emerged on a two year old tree and has almost encompassed the entire trunk.
Using Dirty Clippers
This photograph shows gall at the crown and two trunk or aerial galls frequently the result of cutting off the
suckers without first cleaning the clippers.