Did your trees struggle with aphids, scale bugs, or another type of insect infestation last year? Stewart’s offers treatments that can help.
Some insects, like scale, are unaffected by most tree pest sprays. Only a dormant oil spray applied while they are in a vulnerable state will eliminate them. This is one reason why we offer dormant oil sprays in early spring and in late fall. These sprays can target a variety of insects on a variety of trees. Read on to learn more about dormant oil treatments.
Dormant Oil Sprays for Fruit Trees
Our dormant oil sprays can help prevent insects like aphids, scale, peach twig borer, mites, and more on fruit trees. Some types of dormant oil sprays also help prevent diseases such as peach leaf curl or fire blight.
Dormant oil sprays can also be applied to other types of trees, like shade trees and shrubs. Any tree that is affected by aphids, scale, etc. can benefit from dormant oil treatments.
When to Apply Dormant Oil Treatments
You should be careful when applying dormant oil sprays because if you apply them too late in the year, they can damage the foliage. The correct timing depends on the type of tree and when the leaves or flower buds usually start to emerge.
Dormant oil sprays are intended for preventing insect infestations and diseases. This is why we apply them in early spring, while trees are still dormant. The sprays eliminate insects in their early and overwintering stages, which helps prevent infestations that occur later in the year.
How Dormant Oil Treatments Work
Insects like scale lay their eggs on tree bark before winter, then the eggs hatch the following spring. Dormant oil smothers the eggs, which prevents them from hatching. It also targets other types of insects that hide in the bark layers of the tree for the winter. The treatment coats these insects with oil, suffocating them.
While dormant oil sprays can help slow damage to trees that are already struggling, they work best when used on trees that don’t have advanced infestations. If your trees struggled with aphids or another type of insect last year, you should seriously consider dormant oil treatments this year to get ahead of further infestations.
We are starting treatments soon, so call or text our office at 801-226-2261 today for a free tree service quote and more information!