Tree & Shrub Care

Ornamental Tree & Shrub Fertilization

We offer deep root injection fertilization for ornamental trees and shrubs each spring and fall. A balanced ornamental fertilizer including Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other essential plant nutrients are injected into the root zone soil around each plant. The benefits of well-fertilized ornamentals include improved growth, color and flowering. Healthier, stronger plants are also better able to withstand attacks from damaging insect or disease pests and adverse weather conditions such as summer drought and winter cold.

Insect & Disease Control

From experience and continual training we are able to identify ornamental plants that are most likely to experience problems with common insects and diseases in our area. Our spring and summer inspection and control sprays are designed to control pest problems before they cause damage to your valuable ornamental plantings. A horticultural or dormant oil spray treatment in spring or fall is another effective preventative insect control treatment we recommend for certain plants.

Watering

In most years, most ornamental plants won’t need watering beyond normal rainfall. But with any young or transplanted plants, it is very important to help them through severe summer weather with occasional watering until their root systems become stronger and more established in the soil.

Pruning

The goal of proper fertilization is to promote stronger healthier plants that will thrive and survive any adverse weather conditions or minor insect or disease problems. Fertilization over time will promote growth in plant size, which is desirable for most plants in a proper location. Some plants, however, must have their size and shape controlled to maintain a natural, but conforming appearance. Examples would be in front of the house so plants don’t block windows, or in shrub beds that may get too crowded.

Light frequent pruning is more beneficial and easier than waiting until a plant is too large to reduce in size. Once or twice a season is usually sufficient in most situations. Pruning equipment should be sharp for clean cuts. Any flowering plants should be pruned right after it’s flowering is finished, before it starts putting a lot of it’s energy into the next years flower buds.

Mulching

Adding mulch to shrub beds has benefits beyond improving their appearance. Along with reducing the weed population, a proper depth of mulch cover shades the soil to help it maintain its moisture longer. This can greatly help the plants get through drought periods. It is important that mulch not be too deep. 2-3” is best, if it gets too deep, it ends up soaking up all the rain preventing it from getting to the soil where its needed.

Winter Protection

Broadleaf evergreen shrubs are susceptible to “winter burn” or drying out damage to their leaves through winter. The combination of cold winter winds pulling moisture out of the leaves, and a dormant root system unable to replenish that moisture can cause the browning or death of some or all leaves. While this won’t necessarily kill the plant, it makes for very unattractive plants until the plant can regenerate new functioning leaves the following spring and summer. This process yearly can greatly weaken the plant and eventually cause death. Our “wiltproofing” protection spray in late fall – early winter is designed to “coat” the leaves to prevent moisture loss and this type of winter damage.