Insects, Disease and Diagnosis

• Methods:
  • preserve beneficial insects
  • limit spraying by utilizing PHC management, tree trunk and soil injections
  • only treat what is needed based on insect and disease life cycles (narrowly focused and targeted applications)

Site inspections and problem diagnosis

Soil systemic insecticides (insect control with no spraying or trunk wounding)

• Emerald Ash Borer
• leafhoppers, plant bugs, aphids, birch leaf miner, scale, mites, borers etc.

Spray programs - based on insect life cycle and growing degree days (GDD)

• tent caterpillars, gypsy moth, inchworms, etc.
• Zimmerman pine moth and other borers
• Emerald Ash Borer
• preventative disease treatments (apple scab, hawthorn apple rust)
• anti-desiccant (to reduce winter injury to evergreens)
• conifer disease treatments
• dormant oil

Trunk injections: Dutch elm disease/oak wilt, boring insects, nutrients

Site amendments/amelioration

• specialized fertilizer mixes (including high percentage of slow release N for longevity) and organic fertilizer
• correction of iron and other nutrient deficiencies
• mycorrhizae (beneficial fungi that grow with and increase roots capacity)
• vertical mulching/radial trenching for soil compaction problems
• air spade root collar and root zone excavations
• Compost teas, adds life to soil

Growth regulators

• reduce shoot growth and encourage growth of absorption root growth
• stabilize declining trees

Girdling (strangling) root removal and after care