Need help with your Tree(s)/Shrub(s)?

Plant Health Care
The size and longevity of trees and shrubs warrant special attention. Annual plants can be replaced in a few short weeks, and a lawn can be replaced in a single growing season, but replacing a mature tree can take a lifetime.

Plant Health Care requires a comprehensive knowledge of the individual components of tree care and an understanding of how all of these components interact to influence tree growth and development. PHC considers the entire plant and the environment in which it is growing. Ideally, PHC starts with the plant and its site selection and continues through the plant's life. Yet, not all negative outcomes can be avoided using PHC. Nature, often with the help of human activities, will continue to provide us with extreme weather, pest outbreaks and other phenomena. But an otherwise healthy tree that is well adapted to the environment in which it is growing is more likely to resist environmental stresses (e.g. drought, floods, extreme cold) or recover from catastrophic change (e.g. ice storm, an altered water table, exotic insect infestation).

Plant Health Care Programs

Green Tree provides a wide range of treatments for trees and shrubs in the Okanagan, using Integrated Pest Management to reduce
pesticide use and increase biodiversity.

Below is a short list of programs that we offer.

- Codling Moth
- Apple Maggot
- Oriental Fruit Moth
- Pear Psylla
- Western Cherry Fruit Fly
- Cherry Bark Tortrix
- Bacterial Cankers
- Peach Leaf Curl
- Powdery Mildew
- Coryneum Blight (Shothole disease)
- Borers
- Aphids

- Oak Phylloxera
- Grape Phylloxera
- Two-spotted Spider Mites
- Spruce Spider Mites
- Boxwood Spider Mites
- Blister Mites
- European Red Mite
- Weevils
- Whiteflies
- Thrips
- Leaf-rollers & Skelonizers
- Soft Scale & Armoured Scale

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) has several bylaws in place to manage noxious pests: Noxious and Destructive Insect and Pest Control Bylaw No. 2711, 2015. This bylaw aims to regulate the prevention, removal, and ongoing control of infestations by noxious and destructive insects or related pests within the RDOS. Requires property owners to take measures to control noxious pests on their land. Authorizes the RDOS to take action to control infestations on private property if the owner fails to do so and establishes penalties for non-compliance.

Learn what plant health care means, what its implication involves, and how trees and shrubs benefit from it.

Why Contact Green Tree for Plant Health Care?

Our Arborists have the experience and training to detect potential tree and shrub problems before they become life-threatening or hazardous.
Our Arborists can prescribe services for trees and shrubs to prevent problems.
Our Arborists can consult with other landscape and lawn care services to coordinate treatments.

What Does a Tree and Shrub PHC Program Cover?

Just as no two landscapes are identical and client objectives vary, there is no universal Plant Health Care (PHC) program. However, all successful PHC programs share key features.

PHC is essential for monitoring the health of trees and shrubs, enabling the early detection and management of issues before they become serious. This monitoring can range from annual visits to more frequent inspections, such as monthly check-ups, tailored to the size and diversity of your landscape as well as your specific goals.

When problems or potential issues are identified during a monitoring visit, your Green Tree arborist will collaborate with you to create effective solutions. For instance, they may advise adjusting lawn irrigation to prevent excessive moisture that can negatively impact tree roots.

Additional solutions may include strategic pruning or targeted pesticide applications. Your Green Tree arborist will provide comprehensive information about your trees and shrubs, empowering you to make confident management decisions that align with your budget and objectives.

What Will a Green Tree Plant Health Care Program Cost?

Each Plant Health Care (PHC) program is expertly tailored to meet the specific needs of your landscape. Accurate pricing is determined through a Green Tree arborist’s thorough site visit and assessment. Whether you're interested in a targeted plan for a few key trees or an inclusive approach for your entire landscape, we have you covered.

PHC programs offer flexibility in their structure. Some provide monitoring for a fee and bill separately for each treatment, while others charge an annual fee that encompasses all seasonal monitoring visits and a range of potential treatments. With these comprehensive Green Tree programs, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that treatments for most potential issues are pre-covered, eliminating unexpected costs.

At the core of PHC is the commitment to individualized service and flexibility. Trust that your Green Tree arborist will design a Plant Health Care program that perfectly aligns with your goals and fits your budget.

Ensuring optimal plant health requires vigilant monitoring and proactive preventative treatments for your trees. Signs such as discoloured leaves, dead branches, or early leaf drop are clear indicators that it's time to consult an arborist.

While some issues may be minor and easily addressed, others can be more complex and necessitate a thorough solution. It's crucial to act promptly; if problems are left undetected for too long, tree removal may be the only viable option. Take charge of your trees’ health to prevent serious issues down the line.

The Solution: Plant Health Care

To provide property owners with more options, Green Tree arborists create Plant Health Care (PHC) programs. The goal of PHC is to maintain or enhance the landscape's appearance, health, and safety by using the most effective and environmentally sensitive practices and treatments available. PHC includes regular monitoring, preventive treatments, and a collaborative relationship between the arborist and the property owner.

Why Plant Health Care, Not Tree Health Care?

Trees play a vital role in your home's landscape, working together with turf grasses, shrubs, and other plants that thrive in the same soil. Their roots intertwine, competing for essential water and nutrients, and a mature tree’s roots can reach well into your lawn or flower beds.

It's important to understand that any treatment applied to the lawn will undoubtedly affect the appearance and health of the trees. Likewise, treatments administered to trees have a significant impact on the vitality of the turf grass below.

The way you care for each plant in your landscape directly influences the health of all the plants in that space. A cohesive approach to landscaping ensures a thriving environment for every plant.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a comprehensive approach that combines physical, cultural, biological, and chemical methods to address pest issues. Rather than seeking immediate fixes, IPM emphasizes long-term solutions and considers the entire ecosystem. It is tailored to specific sites and varies depending on the ecosystem, plants, and planting systems involved.

The primary goal of IPM is to minimize risks to human health and the environment. By avoiding the use of pesticides whenever possible, we can ensure that when chemical controls are necessary, they will be more effective and will cause less harm to non-target species.

Identify the pest – Be sure you know who is doing the damage.
Observation Time– Determine population level and look for native predators already at work.
Determine threshold – A certain level of pests is necessary to maintain a healthy balance of predators in the garden. Determine how much of a population this plant can withstand without causing irreparable damage. Hint: Zero pests is not the answer.
Implement cultural and physical controls – "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Cultural control includes things like having the right tree in the right place. We want to encourage a strong, healthy plant to flourish and withstand pests. If you know the plant needs full sun, do not put it in an area with dappled shade. Cultural controls also include proper pruning to eliminate areas of potential infection. There are also a number of physical controls that will stop pests dead in their tracks before ever reaching your prized beauties.
Apply biological controls – These are the beneficial organisms nature has produced to perform the specialized tasks of seeking out and killing harmful pests. These include ladybugs, nematodes, lacewings, parasitic wasps, and more.

We don’t have to wait for Mother Nature; We can set up a beneficial insect release augmentation program for Aphids, Spider Mites, Thrips, Whiteflies, Weevils and many more.

Pesticides should always be used only as a last resort. Overuse kills the native predators and parasites and aids in pests building chemical resistance. If the use of pesticides is infrequent, then when we make that choice, they will work much more effectively.

Gary Watson's research illustrates the increased root density below mulch (right) compared to turfgrass cover (left).

Mulching Service

The benefits of mulching and its effectiveness in improving root development and plant vigour have been documented in scientific literature for nearly a century. Unfortunately, a lot of landscapers, homeowners, and even arborists aren't clear on the best ways to use mulch to get those benefits. Just take a look at how often people pile mulch against the trunks of trees and shrubs to see how widespread the misunderstanding is.

Mulch truly is worth its weight in gold if selected and used properly. Research shows that spreading an 8-foot circle of mulch around young trees can boost their root density four times more than if they were competing with grass and not mulched. For older trees, mulching can increase fine root densities by up to 15 times compared to trees growing with grass and no mulch. Plus, using mulch the right way can lower soil pH, reduce leaf yellowing, hold more moisture, enhance beneficial fungi in the soil, improve soil structure and drainage, and reduce soil compaction over several years.

Trees naturally create their own mulch each year by dropping, leaves, twigs, flowers, and fruit. This mulch smothers grass and weed competition, moderates soil temperatures, and conserves moisture needed during environmental stresses. Mother Nature applies these mulches in thin layers that extend to the drip line of the tree or beyond. Arborists who understand these natural processes and mimic them are less prone to making mistakes that cause undesirable consequences for the trees. Although organic mulches need periodic replacement and maintenance to keep them looking attractive, when properly applied, their many functional benefits make them one of the most economical and beneficial cultural practices known to enhance plant health and vigour.

Request a Service and we can certainly help you achieve optimal plant health.

Fertilization Services

Like humans, trees require a balance of nutrients to sustain good health and biological function. In urban environments, soil often lacks the natural nutrients found in untouched ecosystems due to construction, compaction, and the removal of organic matter like leaves and grass clippings on an annual basis. Additionally, pollutants and runoff can deplete essential minerals, leaving the soil nutrient-poor and inhospitable for healthy tree growth. Fertilizer is often required to replenish nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and trace elements, ensuring trees have the resources needed for strong roots, vibrant foliage, and resilience against pests and diseases.

On another note, applying fertilizer without testing the soil around your trees can have adverse effects, including increased pest resurgence and higher maintenance costs. Before fertilizing every area of your property (including your beautiful lawn), please read the information below.

Plants protect themselves from natural enemies by producing toxic compounds called allelochemicals or secondary metabolites. There are thousands of these compounds, including phenolic compounds like tannins, terpenes found in pine resins and herbs, alkaloids such as nicotine and morphine, and cyanogenic compounds that release cyanide, which can be found in cherry leaves and other plants. Research has shown that these compounds help defend against insects, pathogens, and mammals.

Studies indicate that when trees are fertilized, the levels of allelochemicals tend to decrease. This drop in chemical levels often happens because plants face a trade-off between growth and defence. Plants that grow more slowly generally have higher levels of these defensive compounds and are better at resisting insects.

Fertilization is often thought to make trees better at resisting insects, but little evidence supports this idea. In fact, most studies suggest that fertilization actually weakens trees' resistance to insects. For example, it has been shown that fertilization lowers tree resistance to sucking insects like aphids, adelgids, scales, psyllids, plant bugs, lace bugs, and spider mites. It also reduces resistance to chewing insects such as caterpillars, sawflies, leaf beetles, leafminers, and borers, as well as to browsing animals like deer, moose, and hares.

Using an economic analogy can help us understand trade-offs in plant growth. Think of carbon from photosynthesis as the tree's income. This income can be reinvested. When a tree invests carbon in making new leaves, it generates more carbon, which can lead to even more leaves. This process creates rapid, exponential growth, similar to how a retirement fund grows when interest is reinvested. However, if a tree uses carbon for defensive chemicals instead of growing leaves, its growth rate will slow down. This is like a retirement fund that grows more slowly when interest is spent on other expenses rather than reinvested.

Fast growth comes with trade-offs. Trees and other plants have limited resources to support their functions, so they can't meet all their needs simultaneously. For example, when plants focus more on producing flowers and seeds, their growth in leaves and stems can slow down. Additionally, studies show that when plants have more nutrients, they grow above ground, like in their stems and leaves, but less below ground, in their roots. This leads to a lower root-to-shoot ratio in the plant.

Many studies show that trees grow faster when they have more nutrients available. However, these trees also have lower defensive chemicals and storage reserves. In contrast, trees growing slowly in areas with limited nutrients tend to have more roots than their shoots. These slower-growing trees also store higher levels of defensive compounds and reserves. How trees use nutrients affects their ability to resist insects and tolerate stress.

Grass! Tree's Ultimate Adversary!

Grass poses a subtle but significant challenge to trees by competing for essential resources. Grasses develop dense root systems near the soil's surface, which allows them to monopolize water and nutrients, making it difficult for trees to establish themselves. Additionally, grass contributes to the rapid evaporation of moisture from the soil and can create fire-prone conditions, especially in dry environments, which can damage or kill young trees. Some grass species also release allelopathic chemicals that inhibit the growth of nearby plants, including trees. This quiet competition, along with grass's resilience and fast growth, makes it a persistent and often underestimated threat to the establishment and survival of trees.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Eliminating grass around your trees and replacing it with mulch will dramatically improve their health, minimize maintenance efforts, and ultimately save you money!

Leave the Leaves

Increasing biodiversity and reducing synthetic fertilizer use on your property is as easy as letting nature's natural processes alone. Reduce your fall workload and enjoy the season's beautiful fall colours. Laziness never felt so good!

Rake the leaves from your lawn and apply it over the root zone of your trees this fall.
Leave Nature's mulch to:
- Sustain birds
- Protect overwintering pollinators
- Insulate plant roots
- Build living soil
- Increase biodiversity

Plant diversity above ground stimulates diversity in the soil. Through a system of checks and balances, a medley of soil organisms helps maintain low populations of many pests. Numerous researchers have shown that increasing plant diversity — and thereby habitat diversity — favours the abundance and effectiveness of natural enemies. It’s a subtle effect, but over time the advantage increases. Your backyard system moves slowly toward a natural balance and your pest problems decrease.

Did you know?
Plants and trees take up mineral elements like calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus through the roots and disperse these nutrients into the leaves. Cheap fertilizer and plenty of it! The nutrient content of leaves is best used immediately after they've fallen. The faster they decompose, the faster the nutrient value is captured into the soil, increasing biodiversity. Although keeping leaves where they fall is beneficial, certain tree species, like walnuts, produce a natural chemical called Juglone that keeps seeds from germinating. It is not recommended to use these leaves in your compost pile.

How to leave the leaves
There is more than one way to handle leaves and other yard debris ecologically. Here are a few tips:

Leaf Mould: This is one of the easiest things to do with dead leaves. Pile them in a corner of your yard and let them decompose over time. It’s different from composting in that it's only leaves and no additional organic matter. Leaf mould improves soil structure and water retention, plus it's FREE!
Composting: This practice reduces the amount of debris in landfills while creating fertile new soil for your garden. Compost adds nutrients to your soil and can be added to your garden in addition to the leaf mould.
Save Up: Store excess leaves in paper bags until the spring and summer, when you have limited access to carbon-rich organic materials for compost.
Leave the Leaves: This can provide nutrients and protection to your garden.
Share Leaves: You have a lot of trees and too many leaves? That’s a good problem to have. Your neighbours, local farms, schools, campuses and gardens will add your leaves to their leaf mould or compost pile. Before sharing your leaves, inspect your plants and trees for diseases that could otherwise spread to another location. (Example: Anthracnose and powdery mildew)
Play: Your yard full of leaves can become an Autumn obstacle course or playground. Just pile and jump!

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Plant Health CareThe size and longevity of trees and shrubs warrant special attention. Annual plants can be replaced in a few short weeks, and a lawn can be replaced in a single growing season, but replacing a mature tree can take a lifetime.