If you’re like a lot of homeowners, you probably love the beauty that your trees and shrubs provide on your property. For that reason, ongoing care with services like fertilization, pest control, and pruning is important.
Of course, when it comes to getting the most out of these services, there is an optimal timing that you should follow. That’s why we’ve put together this handy tree and shrub maintenance calendar so that you can have a better idea of what services your landscape needs and when it needs them.
By following the best year-round tree and shrub maintenance schedule, you can help ensure that your Pennsylvania property continues to look and perform its best so that you can enjoy it to the fullest.
Tree and Shrub Maintenance Schedule
Because we care about helping you to achieve the best possible results for various tree and shrub services in Pennsylvania, we’re talking about an optimal tree and shrub maintenance schedule. Performing these services at the right time of the year will help you to achieve your goals.
When to Fertilize Trees and Shrubs
Our shrub and tree fertilizing service helps to provide the nutrients your plants need to perform their best. Fertilizing trees and shrubs helps prevent problems like loss of vigor and poor growth.
As far as the timing, we typically incorporate a fertilization treatment in the Spring, around March or April, as plants can use those added nutrients during their active growth period. We also fertilize again in the Fall, around September or October. That final fertilization treatment helps to make the plants more hardy for Winter.
When to Prune Trees and Shrubs
As far as year-round tree and shrub maintenance goes, pruning is an important service that is vital to the overall health and performance of your trees and shrubs. Pruning involves the removal of infected, dead, or broken branches in a precise way. The result is not only aesthetically appealing (by making your trees and shrubs look “cleaned up”), but it also has a direct impact on your trees and shrubs’ health.
As far as when to prune, the answer is dependent upon the type of tree or shrub you’re pruning. Some deciduous trees are actually better to prune in the winter, when they enter dormancy and their growth halts. One of the major benefits is that your tree care technician can see the tree’s entire canopy much easier, helping them to make more strategic cuts.
Fall can also be a good time to prune trees and shrubs, depending on the species.
Pruning in the Spring and Summer is also possible for certain species, though special care should be taken. Summer pruning can sometimes expose a tree to harsh conditions. And in certain species, pruning at the wrong time can impact bloom time. It’s important that all of these factors are taken into account when choosing the best time to prune.
When to Mulch around Trees and Shrubs
While not a service that Joshua Tree performs, many of our clients do like having mulch added to their plant beds and around tree rings. While you can mulch pretty much any time of the year, you’ll see the most benefits in the Fall and the Spring, when mulch will help to insulate your plant roots during periods of growth.
In general, most of our clients choose to mulch in the Spring while also having some annuals added to their plant beds.
When to Treat Trees and Shrubs for Pests
Pest control should also be part of your year-round tree and shrub maintenance. Some of the potential tree and shrub pests that we see in Pennsylvania include mites, aphids, bagworms, and beetles.
The different treatments needed to address the different types of pests you might be dealing with are going to change, depending upon the season. In our Plant Health Care program, we have Spring Insect and Mite Control, Summer Insect and Disease Control, and Fall Insect and Mite Control.
Because there are different pest threats at different times of the year, it’s important that your plant health care professionals are diligent in using an array of treatments. This should include both preventative and curative treatments, depending upon whether you are already dealing with an infestation.
When to Plant Trees and Shrubs
Though we do not do any plant installation work, we know that some homeowners are also often wondering when to install trees and shrubs.
While Spring is commonly thought of as the best time to plant, we actually advise Fall planting whenever possible. This is a great time of the year because the soil is still warm but the air is starting to cool down and plants will not be subjected to the intense heat that comes with the summer months.
While you can certainly plant in the Spring, and many people do, you know that the heat of the Summer months is just around the corner. It will be important that you are diligent about watering your newly planted trees and shrubs as they are adapting.
Working with a Pro on Your Tree and Shrub Maintenance Schedule
Hopefully, this tree and shrub maintenance calendar has given you some idea of when to perform these very important services. Ultimately, when you partner with a professional, many of these worries are removed from your hands and given to a pro to handle.
We’ve shared some of the most common timing for many tree and shrub tasks, but it’s also important to remember that changes to the climate or even your landscape’s conditions can impact the timing. That’s why it’s important to partner with a professional who is looking out for your best interest.
With the right pro on your side, you can feel confident that your landscape is receiving the best possible care. Instead of having to worry that your property isn’t going to look its best or you won’t be able to fully enjoy it, you’ll be proud to show off your trees and shrubs.
If you’d like to have a tree on your property assessed, or want to find out more about our Plant Health Care programs, then contact us for a free consultation. Once you do, you can rest assured knowing that we’ve got it completely under control.
