Soil application methods like soil drench and CoreTect tablets are simple and efficient for landowners to do themselves. Stem-based (trunk) application methods are recommended for trees within 10-20 feet of a water source, or when there are roots of flowering plants where the chemical is applied that might take up the chemical and translocate it to pollen or nectar. Using a soil application in these situations could pose a risk to non-target organisms like stream invertebrates and pollinators.
Basal bark spray is one stem-based method; another is stem injection. Basal bark spray can be done by a landowner or professional; however, this method requires care and vigilance not to increase the chance of drift or off-target exposure when doing a bark spray. We recommend contacting a professional to perform stem injection due to the expense of the equipment and the difficulty of ensuring a correct application. See our page titled Hemlock Treatment Providers to find tree care specialists in Western North Carolina that treat hemlocks.