You may be tempted to handle tree and shrub care on your own, but before you go out on a limb, it’s important that you understand all that it entails and consider some of the deep-rooted benefits of enlisting the help of a plant health care professional.

Let’s take a look at why tree and shrub care matters so much in Northeast Ohio, DIY versus professional tree and shrub care, what to look for in a plant health care provider, and more.

Why Tree and Shrub Care Matters in Northeast Ohio

So, why is tree and shrub care so important, anyway?

Northeast Ohio landscapes are no stranger to pests and diseases. Plus, humid springs, hot, dry summers, and harsh winters can stress your plants out even further.

Whether your tree or shrub is not blooming to its full potential, it is on the verge of succumbing to pests or diseases, has sustained winter damage, or even if you can’t quite figure out what’s wrong with it, a local expert can help you pinpoint the root of the issue and create a plan of action from there.

DIY Versus Professional Tree and Shrub Care

Here’s a look at the differences between DIY and professional plant care.

What Does DIY Tree and Shrub Treatment Involve?

It may seem like DIY plant care is less of a hassle than trying to find a professional, but here are a few reasons to hit pause before tackling tree and shrub care on your own.

1. Hidden Costs

Do you have a backpack sprayer and sharpened pruning tools laying around? Do you have the right products in exactly the right amount? Have you budgeted for how much product you will need?

The tools, products, and equipment used to perform tree care work isn’t free, so it’s important to remember that DIY tree and shrub care costs may sneak up on you faster than you think.

2. Time and Energy Spent

Wouldn’t you rather spend your Saturday relaxing in your outdoor space, rather than running around to different stores to find exactly the right products and then rushing home to apply those products?

Your time is valuable, so why waste it?

3. Common Mistakes

Plant health care professionals like the ones at Turf Pride rely on their years of experience to do everything exactly right. Homeowners, on the other hand, may lack the skills and expertise to perform plant health care the right way.

Here are a few common mistakes when it comes to plant health care.

Improper Placement

Different types of plants prefer different amounts of moisture and sunlight. What’s more, certain plants are better planted at a shallow depth, where others need to be planted deeper into the ground.

A plant health care professional can help you decide which plants should go where in your yard, so you can provide your plants with the healthiest environment possible, right from the start.

Pro Tip: Arborvitae prefer a raised bed with very little water in the root system. The same goes for spruces. If you constantly keep the soil wet around their roots, they can easily contract root rot disease, which will cause the branches to die back as well.

Improper Support Structures

Some homeowners may feel the need to tie up their trees to make them grow straighter. However, if left over time, the straps, wires, or ropes actually start to grow into the tree, which can cut off the tree’s circulation. This leads to an overall decline as the tree is unable to receive the water and nutrients it needs to stay healthy.

Misapplication

When applying any type of treatment, whether it’s fertilizers, insect and disease control, or even horticulture oil, it’s crucial to be spot on in how you apply it, when you apply it, and how much you apply.

Failing to do so can lead to an overall decline in your plants, limit the product’s effectiveness, and even pose a safety risk to you, your family, and your pets.

What Professional Treatments Offer That DIY Can’t

On the other hand, professional tree and shrub care treatments can fill in all the gaps created by DIY treatments.

Here are a few reasons why professional plant health care specialists have it covered.

1. Expertise in diagnosing disease/pest issues

Plant health care technicians have undergone years of training and certification to be able to expertly pinpoint what’s going wrong with your trees and shrubs.

That’s not to mention the thousands of hours of experience they have in the field, doing just that for other homeowners in Mentor and surrounding areas.

For example, a plant health care specialist would know that in Northeast Ohio, crab apple trees are very susceptible at the beginning of the summer to apple scab disease, where the leaves develop spots and then fall off the tree before the end of summer.

As such, they can treat for this disease preventively, keeping that fungus at bay.

2. Access to commercial-grade treatments

A professional plant health care company also has access to high-grade products, whether it’s fertilizer, pest and disease control, or something else, so there’s no need to mess around with over-the-counter solutions.

3. Seasonal timing and precision

Relying on their training, certifications, and years of hands-on experience, plant health professionals know exactly when to perform a treatment and how much to apply.

That way, there’s no guesswork on your end, and you know it’s been handled the right way.

4. Safety

Because professionals know exactly how to use each product, you can rest assured knowing that your trees and shrubs have been treated without a safety risk to you and your family.

5. Long-term health benefits

Plant health care professionals are thoroughly invested in the health of your landscape and will continue to make recommendations to keep your trees in good shape for years to come.

Cost Comparison: DIY vs. Professional Tree and Shrub Care

If you are looking for a “quick fix” for your trees and shrubs rather than long-term results and plant preservation, DIY treatment may be for you.

Just remember that those “cheap and easy” DIY treatments may not be so inexpensive after purchasing the necessary products and equipment or misapplying a treatment that causes long-term damage to your plants.

What to Look for in a Tree and Shrub Care Professional

When deciding on a tree and shrub care professional, you will want to find a company that employs certified technicians who undergo continuous training in best practices and who are willing to answer whatever questions you have.

Also, look for a company that has local expertise. This is key for helping to stay ahead of local issues like pests, diseases, and climate impacts.

Avoid companies that ignore best practices, have a habit of ghosting, or provide inconsistent pricing.

Why Turf Pride is a Trusted Partner in Mentor and Northeast Ohio

When you choose Turf Pride for your tree and shrub needs, the process will look like the following:

A technician will visit the property to assess your ornamental trees and shrubs and their sizing to determine pricing. It’s important to note that Turf Pride does not typically treat trees above 20 feet tall.

The technician will also discuss which plants in your yard are more susceptible to certain pests and diseases throughout the season and set up an insect and disease treatment and fertilization plan accordingly.

Our pest and disease treatments usually take place during the growing season. The treatments are done preventively to reduce activity before too much damage occurs. Once damage is visible, it can't be reversed until the following season.

We also apply fertilizer in the spring to help promote shoot and bud growth and flowering and in the fall to provide nutrients for the plants to use for improved root development and to store throughout the dormant season.

We use a foliar application technique rather than soil injections to apply our fertilizer.

This is because for Northeast Ohio homes with clay soil, products injected into the ground may not even be able to penetrate through the soil to the roots, and for Northeast Ohio homes with sandy soil, it’s likely that the fertilizer could get washed away before it even reaches the plant.

Finally, near the end of the year, our technicians will put down a horticulture oil that will help fight against pests like scale insects.

What you pay for is what you get. With Turf Pride, our pricing is transparent, and you can expect meaningful results.

Ready to Protect Your Landscape the Right Way?

If you’re in Mentor or a surrounding area and are ready to take pride in your plants and ornamental trees, consider Turf Pride’s plant health care program.

With reliable service that’s easy to set up, you can rest easy and take pride knowing you’ve done the best for your landscape.

Call today or receive a free quote online.