Sometimes aphids will cause leaf distortions. Of the two aphids more frequently warrant control measures. The insects can be controlled with contact insecticides. Two cultural problems manifest themselves quite are regularly. The most common of the two is herbicide damage.
Birches have a wide and shallow root system.
Some of the chemicals in lawn herbicides remain active in the soil and are absorbed by the tree's root system. It is preferable to use spot sprays of herbicides for weed control rather than a widespread spray or broadcasting a herbicide-fertilizer combination. The other cultural problem is subtle than any of the other commonly encountered. Trees a decade or so old sometime seem to die in a period of a few weeks. Typical pre-death symptoms include dwarfed wilted leaves, poor growth rate and trunk abnormalities at the soil surface.