What is the recommended maintenance program for trees and ornamentals?
Just like lawns in South Florida, many of our trees and ornamental plants are also susceptible to insects and disease and therefore should be treated on a regular basis as well. Popular shrubs and trees such as Ixoras and Hibiscuis are commonly infected with various aphids, scale, mealy bugs, beetles, and caterpillars. A schedule of 4 to 6 spray applications per year is recommended in most cases. Trees and ornamentals also require timed fertilizations throughout the year to provide the nutrients they need. Between two and four granular fertilizations and two liquid applications is Petris general recommendation. However, this can vary depending on the kind of trees and shrubs that are being maintained. Palm trees, for example, require more fertilizer than many other trees and shrubs. Certain times during the year it may be necessary to provide a deep root injection of liquid micronutrients in between the regular fertilizations.
