Tree careTree Pestsa specialist using dormant oil spray on trees

Are you worried about pests chewing on the trees and shrubs in your yard? Jackson Tree Service can solve this problem right now with the application of our dormant oil spray! Dormant oil is designed to be applied during the winter months when a tree is fully dormant; now is the time to protect your landscape from pests.

 

How does dormant oil work?

Dormant oil is considered to be one of the most eco-friendly treatments because it is able to get rid of pests while not harming the beneficial insects that help the tree. The oil is able to accomplish this by covering the pests’ breathing holes and suffocating them, as opposed to the treatment actually poisoning the pests. This is what makes dormant oil the only applicable insecticide spray on the market that can be used on fruit trees.

 

What does dormant oil treat?

Dormant oil will protect your small trees and shrubs against many pests including aphids, hard and soft scale, mites, webworms, and leaf-chewing caterpillars, all some of the most common pests in the country. These pests will lay eggs on your trees and shrubs over winter and come springtime they will hatch and start causing damage to your plants throughout the growing season.

 

Common symptoms of insect damage to look for

  • Visible chewing on the foliage
  • Yellowing of leaves / leaf drop
  • Excretion of honeydew

If you spot any of these symptoms on the trees or shrubs in your yard, then it is time to act. While you might just see a couple of leaves with some chewing marks on them, if it isn’t handled at this stage it could lead to severe defoliation and dieback throughout the landscape.

When inspecting your entire landscape for signs of pests, it can be tricky for the average homeowner to identify what pests are attacking or even if there are pests present. This is why it is important to have our certified arborist out to inspect your landscape.

 

When should dormant oil be applied?

While it may be obvious that dormant oil is applied during the time of the year when your plants are dormant, there is more that goes into when we apply dormant oil than just the date. Here are the other factors that we take into consideration.

  • Temperature (above 40 degrees)
  • Low winds
  • No rain in the forecast for the following two days

Don’t left infectious pests tear up your landscape, contact us immediately for a free assessment of the health of the plants in your yard!