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Learn 5 proven ways to protect garden trees from pest infestation
Trees are a valuable part of any landscape, providing shade and adding beauty. However, pests can be a big problem for trees, as they can damage or even kill them. Protecting your trees from pest infestation is essential to keeping them healthy and looking good. Here are five ways to protect your trees from pests:
Trimming Your Trees
- Pests can be a big problem for trees – they can damage the bark, leaves, and fruit of the tree, making it difficult for the tree to grow and thrive. One of the best ways to protect them is to regularly trim your trees. Don’t delay treating your tree for pests. If left untreated, it can lead to extensive damage and death to your tree. Putting in the effort to protect them will help keep them beautiful and healthy.
Keeping Them Hydrated
- Water is essential for the life of all trees. It is imperative to water your trees thoroughly and frequently during hot, dry summers. Young trees should be watered every week, while mature trees can go for two weeks without water. Newly-planted trees should be watered until they become established, taking several years.
To water your trees effectively, use a garden hose with a sprinkler attachment and water at the base of the tree trunk. Be sure to wet the entire root zone, which extends outwards from the trunk in a radius of about three times the tree’s height. Watering in this way will help your trees stay healthy and pest-free.
Keep Your Yards Clean
- Another way to protect your trees from pest infestation is to keep your yards and gardens clean. This means removing any debris or fallen leaves and keeping the grass trimmed short. Protecting your trees will also prevent pests from spreading to other plants in your garden or yard, which can be hosts for specific pests.
Many pests are specific to certain types of trees or even certain species of trees. If you have a pest problem, consider replacing the affected trees with different species less susceptible to infestations.
Wrap Them Up
- Wrapping a tree in burlap or other protective material can help keep pests away. Wrapping up your trees will not just keep the pests off of them, but it will also protect them from other hazards such as sun scalding if you live in a colder region. Additionally, with the help of a tree wrap, you can avoid using pesticides as these wraps keep the pests from reaching the exposed bits of the tree while allowing for a steady water flow.
Inspect Regularly
- It is crucial to always be on the lookout for pests that can harm your trees whenever you are in your garden. There are a few things that you can do to protect your trees from pest infestation, and the most important one is to inspect them for any signs of trouble regularly. A few types of trees are more likely to attract pests, so it’s important to be extra vigilant if you plant these kinds of trees.
For example, maple trees attract aphids, walnut trees attract walnut caterpillars, ash trees attract borers, elm trees attract beetles, willow trees attract galls, cottonwood trees attract leaf beetles and tent caterpillars, and finally, birch trees can also become infested with aphids and mites.
- If any of your fruit or ornamental tree shows signs of pest infestation such as discoloration or misshapen growth on leaves, shoots, or fruits; webbing between branches, make sure to take quick action before the infestation spreads.
At American Tree Experts, Inc. we offer the best services to keep your plants out of harm’s way. Our pest management services make sure that your trees are protected from pests all through the year. Our most sought out services are pruning, bracing, pest management, and nutritional management. We offer services in Montclair, New Jersey. Call us at 973-744-6091 for a free quote.