Pest Prevention: Protecting Your Trees from Spring Infestations
A Guide to Keeping Your Trees Healthy and Thriving
Spring is a time of renewal and growth for trees, but it’s also a time when they are particularly vulnerable to pests. Many insects and other creatures emerge from their winter dormancy and begin to feed on trees, causing damage that can weaken them and even kill them.
There are a number of things you can do to protect your trees from spring infestations. One of the most important things is to keep your trees healthy. Healthy trees are better able to withstand attacks from pests. You can do this by watering your trees regularly, fertilizing them properly, and pruning them correctly.
You can also take steps to make your property less attractive to pests. This includes removing any debris from around your trees, such as fallen leaves and branches. You should also avoid planting trees too close together, as this can create ideal conditions for pests to thrive.
In addition to these preventative measures, you can also take steps to control pests that are already present on your trees. This may involve using pesticides or other control methods. However, it is important to use these methods carefully, as they can also harm beneficial insects and other wildlife.
Common Spring Pests
Some of the most common pests that attack trees in the spring include:
- Aphids: These small, sap-sucking insects can cause leaves to curl and turn yellow.
- Scale insects: These insects attach themselves to the bark of trees and suck on sap. They can cause leaves to turn yellow and drop off.
- Tent caterpillars: These caterpillars build large, web-like nests in trees. They can defoliate trees, leaving them vulnerable to other pests and diseases.
- Borers: These insects bore into the wood of trees, causing damage that can weaken them and even kill them.
Preventative Measures
There are a number of things you can do to prevent pests from attacking your trees in the spring:
- Keep your trees healthy: Water your trees regularly, fertilize them properly, and prune them correctly. We offer Deep Root Watering Services to ensure your trees are properly watered.
- Make your property less attractive to pests: Remove any debris from around your trees, and avoid planting trees too close together.
- Monitor your trees regularly: Look for signs of pests, such as damaged leaves, branches, or bark.
- Take action early: If you see signs of pests, take steps to control them immediately. Take a look at the most common tree pests by visiting our Plant Health page.
Controlling Pests
If you have a pest infestation, there are a number of things you can do to control it. This may involve using pesticides or other control methods. However, it is important to use these methods carefully, as they can also harm beneficial insects and other wildlife.
Additional Tips
- Hire a professional arborist: If you are not sure how to protect your trees from pests, you can hire professionals, like our certified arborists, at Donovan Arborists. We are experts in tree care and can help you identify and control a variety of pests.
- Join a tree care organization: There are a number of organizations that can provide you with information and resources on tree care. Take a look at “Be a Smart Ash” campaign from the Denver City Forester, an office within Denver Parks & Recreation, who have been taking care of our city’s urban canopy for many years.
Remember: The best way to protect your trees from pests is to keep them healthy. By following the tips in this blog post, you can help ensure that your trees are protected from spring infestations and are able to thrive all year long.
Contact us today at (303) 623-8733 (TREE) or send us a request for a free estimate. Take a look at our Plant Health Care services for more information.
Our service areas include Centennial, Cherry Hills Village, Denver, Englewood, Golden, Greenwood Village, Highlands Ranch, Lakewood, Littleton, Lone Tree and Wheat Ridge.
We look forward to hearing from you!
