Do I Need a Professional for my Trees and Shrubs?

The right trees and shrubs can make or break a landscape. Keep them vibrant and beautiful and they will add value to your home and joy to you and your family as you spend time outside. But they can also be a BIG responsibility! If not cared for properly, they can get infested by pests and diseases or just look sick.

Should you care for them yourself or is it best to have a professional look after them? We say a little of both is just right. First let's talk about what types of pests and diseases are most common.

• Pests – mites, bagworms, carpenter ants, carpenter bees, bark beetles such as ambrosia beetles, turpentine beetles or pine bark beetles, wood-boring beetles, weevils, caterpillars and clear-wing moths.
• Diseases – anthracnose, black knob, cytospora canker, diplodia tip blight, leaf spot, needle cast, phomopsis blight, powdery mildew and tree/leaf rust.

Yuck! To avoid these pests and diseases, consider these benefits of hiring a professional.

The benefits a professional provides:

1. We know trees and shrubs. We look at trees and shrubs every day and can help you identify a struggling tree or shrub and determine a course of action.
2. We know how to apply fertilizer. It can be tricky to apply fertilizer correctly – and costly. If you do choose to do this yourself, be sure to follow instructions carefully. The temptation is to use more fertilizer than directed, but don't! You will run the risk of "burning" trees and shrubs.
3. Pure Green has a Tree and Shrub Program. We apply seven treatments over the course of a year. One in winter, one in spring, three in summer, one in the fall, and the last in late fall/early winter. Horticulture oils, insecticides, and fertilizer are applied in different seasons for maximum benefit to trees and shrubs.

Check out our full tree and shrub program with details about each treatment.

What can you do in between treatments?

The best thing you can do between treatments is to water appropriately and monitor. Typically, trees and shrubs don't need much water beyond normal rainfall unless there are drought conditions. The exception is newly planted trees and shrubs. They will need more water as they establish roots.

Monitor trees and shrubs on a regular basis. Walk your lawn at least once a month and take a look at plants. Note any changes like leaves turning odd colors, spots on leaves, limbs looking odd, an unusual amount of pests, etc. Pay extra attention at the end of summer and winter as the extreme heat or cold could have damaged them. In Nashville, weather is unpredictable and can create ideal conditions for disease or pests to take hold. Be sure to look at plants after extreme weather to assess any damage.

Protect your investment! Combine professional treatments with good care in between to ensure beautiful trees and shrubs for years (or decades!) to come.