February 2020
Never too Late to clean up the leaves! If there is no snow, we can get it DONE!
Time to treat your Shrubs and Ornamental Trees with Oil.
That’s right, oil. The use of oil to kill insects and mites has been known to work since the 1700’s. In the early days the oils used to fight insects were not very refined and some times resulted in plant damage and thus were only used when the plant (usually fruit trees) was dormant. Hence the name “dormant oil“. However, oil refining techniques are so advanced that now all the harmful portions of the petroleum are taken out and we can use these products year round without any injury to most plants. We now refer to them as “horticultural oils”. Horticultural oils are often used in the winter to protect plants against scale, aphids and spider mites. The greatest advantages of using horticultural oils are that it is exceptionally safe to humans (the applicator as well as others), wildlife and non-target insects in the environment such as ladybugs, parasitic wasp, and honey bees. There is no stinky smell, and they costless than synthetic insecticides. Oils are not poisons. They kill the target insects by covering them with a thin film that blocks the air holes from which these insects breathe, causing them to suffocate. Only certain slow moving insects that breathe through the pores in their bodies are affected by the oils. That’s good for not injuring the beneficial insects but also a disadvantage because the types of insects that oils will control are limited. Look at your trees and shrubs soon for evidence of damaging pest such as scale or aphids. Ask JT to determine which plants need horticultural oils on your property. We want to help you protect your ornamental plants.
That’s right, oil. The use of oil to kill insects and mites has been known to work since the 1700’s. In the early days the oils used to fight insects were not very refined and some times resulted in plant damage and thus were only used when the plant (usually fruit trees) was dormant. Hence the name “dormant oil“. However, oil refining techniques are so advanced that now all the harmful portions of the petroleum are taken out and we can use these products year round without any injury to most plants. We now refer to them as “horticultural oils”. Horticultural oils are often used in the winter to protect plants against scale, aphids and spider mites. The greatest advantages of using horticultural oils are that it is exceptionally safe to humans (the applicator as well as others), wildlife and non-target insects in the environment such as ladybugs, parasitic wasp, and honey bees. There is no stinky smell, and they costless than synthetic insecticides. Oils are not poisons. They kill the target insects by covering them with a thin film that blocks the air holes from which these insects breathe, causing them to suffocate. Only certain slow moving insects that breathe through the pores in their bodies are affected by the oils. That’s good for not injuring the beneficial insects but also a disadvantage because the types of insects that oils will control are limited. Look at your trees and shrubs soon for evidence of damaging pest such as scale or aphids. Ask JT to determine which plants need horticultural oils on your property. We want to help you protect your ornamental plants.
