November 2018 - East Coast Sprayers

Posted on November 25, 2018 by East Coast Sprayers

Did you know, the tallest palm tree grew to be just under 200 feet tall?

Such a feat certainly required maintenance and a lot of sunlight! Are you growing your own palm trees? Then, you’ll know by now that your palm tree needs fertilizer to grow.

But, you may be wondering, what’s the best fertilizer for palm trees? In this article, we’ll help you figure out what you need to buy to ensure your palm tree reaches its full potential.

Types of Palm Trees

Did you know, there are 2,500 species of palm trees? They can be found all over the world, whether you’re in the rainforest or the desert. Many of these species can live to be over 100 years old.

Just a few popular palm tree species include:

Date palm – you’ll know this plant thanks to its sweet, delicious fruit.
Queen palm – this plant is native to South America but is now found all around the world.
Cocos nucifera – aka the coconut tree. It’s not the case that ALL palm trees proffer this tasty fruit but all coconuts do, in fact, come from palm trees.

It’ll take a long time to read through the 2,497 other palm tree species so we’ll spare you! Regardless of which species of palm tree you own, there are a few maintenance tips you should learn.

What Fertilizer is Best for Your Palm Tree?

If you’re new to growing these tropical plants, you may wonder why even fertilize your palm tree at all?

The answer is that many palm trees grow in soil which doesn’t have the needed requirements to keep the leaves of the tree looking lush and green. If your tree’s leaves are turning yellow, you’re not providing it with what it needs to grow.

It’s essential, when buying fertilizer, to choose something which is “slow-releasing”. Also, always check that the fertilizer you have chosen is specifically designed for use on palm trees.

Nutrients to look out for that your palm tree requires, include:

Nitrogen – this is essential and your plant needs a lot.
Potassium – same as above
Iron – not as much of this nutrient is required by your plant but it’s still useful.
Manganese
Magnesium

Unfortunately, due to these nutrients, it’s very difficult to make a fertilizer at home. Instead, invest in Palm Root Feeding services to ensure your palm trees are well looked after.

How to Care for Your Palm Tree

Before you choose to include palm trees in your landscaping, you should make sure that you’re up for the financial commitment.

As well as having to pay for twice-yearly Palm Root Feeding services to ensure your palm is healthy, you should also prune your trees regularly.

If you’re not sure what you’re doing, it’s necessary to hire a professional. In trying to help your palm tree, you could do a lot more damage to it.

We provide care and maintenance programs and even pesticide and fungicide treatments.

Palm Trees are a Beautiful Investment

With the right treatment, your palm trees will stand tall and strong for up to a century.

Make sure you set your palm tree up for a long and healthy life by requesting a free quote for palm tree maintenance. We are available with a 24/7 service!

Posted on November 12, 2018 by East Coast Sprayers

Whiteflies are known for their nutrient-sucking habits and their war on crops and plants, especially decorative plants. Understanding how to get rid of whiteflies can benefit farmers and home plant owners alike.

The whitefly has an incubation period of 4-12 days. After that, they pierce plants and suck out the sap for weeks before becoming full-fledged adults. And that’s when the problems go from bad to worse for your greens.

Whiteflies have their seasons in colder climates (and may last year-round in warmer areas) but can last indoors all year. Whatever your situation, here are a few tips on how to get rid of whiteflies from the industry professionals at East Coast Sprayers.

How to Get Rid of Whiteflies: 4 Steps

Though they don’t usually fall on lists of the most common lawn bugs, the whitefly is a powerful pest that can destroy your plants. They slowly deprive plants of nutrients and sustenance, killing many before you realize their impact.

They hang on the underside of plant leaves where they’re safe from the sun and hidden from predators while they feed. Besides growing in a clear greenhouse and quarantining plants for weeks, here’s how to get rid of whiteflies:

1. Identify Which Plants are Infested

Before you can understand how to deal with whiteflies, you need to find out where they’re gathering. This will help determine which plants are at a higher risk and how to treat them specifically.

You’ll have to look under the leaves to spot adult and immature whiteflies. Adult females usually leave somewhere between 200-400 tiny white eggs in clusters under leaves near the tops of plants.

2. Sticky Traps

By setting sticky traps, you can monitor the adult population and get figures. For larger crop areas, where it’s impossible to search every plant, a few random samples will give you an idea of the entire population.

You can purchase the typical yellow sticky traps from department stores, supermarkets, and pest control shops in your area. From there, place the traps throughout a greenhouse, but especially by doors and new plants.

In a larger field, disperse them evenly across the entire crop, but near newer crops especially.

3. Natural, Organic Pesticides for Larger Infestations

Major infestations will require some sort of pesticide, but you’ll want to be careful not to damage your plants in the process. Pesticides can also be extremely dangerous to humans.

Do a decent amount of research on the plants affected and what type of organic, natural pesticides are available for purchase.

If you’re unsure where to begin, consider products from brands like Safer and their competitors.

4. Finish Up with Horticultural Oils

Again, you’ll want to research what your plant or crop is susceptible to, but you may find relief in a horticultural oil. These oils go into a sprayer to coat plants and ultimately smother insects, from eggs to adults.

Lawncare Advice from the Professionals at East Coast Sprayers

You’ll need to do more research to determine how to get rid of whiteflies in your home or garden. And when you need more tips and tricks for healthy plants and a bountiful harvest or flowering, we’ve got just the resources!

Head on over to the East Coast Sprayers website now to learn more!

Posted on November 5, 2018 by East Coast Sprayers

Each year, people spend almost $500 million collectively on tree care.

Clearly, tree care services are in serious demand. “But”, I hear you proclaim, “looking after my trees and shrubs isn’t so hard.” Although looking after your plants doesn’t seem that tough, there is actually a lot more involved than you would imagine. Tree care specialists can be a real lifesaver.

Read on for why you should consider a tree care service.

1. Specialized Care

Different tree and shrub varieties have different maintenance requirements. Proper technique and knowledge can only come after years of experience. If you don’t know what you’re doing it is easy to do more harm than good.

A specialist will know which trees are best pruned after blooming or in the late winter, for example. They will know which trees need to be cut back slowly and which need more vigorous trimming.

This expertise will meet your trees and shrubs’ specialized needs. This will allow your trees and shrubs to grow stronger and more beautiful.

2. Valuable Advice

Care requirements vary depending on the species and type of tree as well as the quality of soil in your area and amount of rainfall. Once a professional sees your plants and their growing conditions, they can tailor expert advice to best care for them individually. For example, they can recommend one fertilizer for one tree, and a different one for another. Or, they may recommend mulching for some trees but not others.

If you are having issues with one tree in particular or a group, you can discuss this and get personalized advice.

3. Spotting Disease

Various diseases can take over your plants if not caught and treated early. To the average eye, early signs like little cankers, or spots under leaves, may go unnoticed.

Professionals are trained to identify these early signs. They can tell the difference between serious and minor diseases from the early stages. Your arborist can correctly diagnose your tree so thalife-saving treatment can take place.

4. Equipment

Your tree care provider will have the right tools for any job, whether that is removing a damaged limb or performing a basic trim. Having the right tools mean there is less risk of damage to your plants and property.

Professional tools are expensive. Incremental borers can be over $200 alone! As they have the own equipment, hiring a specialist can save you money in the long run. You don’t need to worry about buying and storing your own.

5. Safety

Tree surgery comes with its dangers, especially when trimming down large limbs. It can also be difficult to identify problem trees and how to deal with them if you don’t know what to look for.

Certified arborists have trained in safety techniques to reduce risk. Their equipment includes items like harnesses to allow safe access to taller branches with no ladder access.

Find Reputable Tree Care Today

As you can see, a tree care service brings some real benefits.

Whether they are providing tips on how to best look after your plants, tackling issues the right way or even just bringing their own equipment, a tree care service is always worth it.

If you are looking for a tree care service, then contact us at East Coast Sprayers. We have been looking after landscapes for over 35 years and would be happy to design a tree and shrub care program catered to your needs.

Month: November 2018