Taking Action Against Pests: Protecting My Trees for a Healthy Spring

Since the pest damage last year was quite severe, I decided to take thorough measures this year. What particularly caught my attention were the tiny insects that covered the bark of my maple tree in spring when new leaves started to emerge. I noticed them on the tree, but after some time, they vanished. Even though they disappeared, I couldn't imagine they were good for the tree. Moreover, their appearance was unpleasant, so I felt that some countermeasures were necessary.

Additionally, the bark of my Lady Banks rose, lilac, cherry tree, and magnolia has been severely stripped. At first, I thought my dog might have chewed on them, but after careful observation, I realized it was the work of pests. Some of the damage is quite severe, and I worry that if left untreated, the trees might eventually die.

To address this issue, I purchased two types of pesticides.

The first one is "BioAdvanced 12 Month Tree and Shrub Protect and Feed, Granules, 4 lb," which comes in granular form. It is applied by sprinkling it a short distance away from the base of the tree and then watering it in. Since I have been using the rose-specific version of this product and found it to be quite potent, I applied this one sparingly as well.

The second one is "Bonide Annual Tree & Shrub Insect Control with Systemaxx, 32 oz Concentrate, Year-Long Protection and Bug Killer." This is a liquid pesticide that is diluted with water and applied to the base of the tree. I used this two weeks after applying the BioAdvanced product, carefully monitoring the situation. For each tree, I mixed 15ml of the pesticide with 1 gallon of water and applied it to the soil.

It’s still too early to see the results, but I hope these measures will help reduce the number of pests and allow my trees to grow healthy and strong. May this spring bring beautiful blossoms once again!