When it comes to your Illinois landscape, there are many different aspects to consider. One of them is your trees and shrubs. Often forgotten about since they mostly grow and thrive on their own, we forget that, like grass, they are prone to insect infestations and diseases and require maintenance as well. Fall is the perfect time to give them attention and start preparing them for the upcoming winter. There are plenty of ways you can do this, from trimming and pruning to fertilizing and insect control.
Pure Prairie Organics has put together a list of items for you to conquer that will ensure your lawn ornaments are prepared for the cold our Illinois winters bring. 
1. Give Your Illinois Trees a Good Trimming
Start with good pruning and trimming of your trees. Pruning helps to relieve stress and encourages new growth in other parts of the tree. During the later fall months, pests and diseases are less active, and if you wait till your leaves fall off, you are better able to see your tree’s structure. Many trees such as oaks should only be trimmed when they are dormant as doing so otherwise can open them up to sores and pest infestation. If you are unsure, contact the professionals at Pure Prairie.
2. Boost Their Health With a Deep Root Fertilization
Like grass, trees can boost minerals and micronutrients to help keep them healthy and robust. In the forests surrounded by other trees, they replenish their nutrients by decomposing leaves. But when growing in our Illinois yards, trees often can not get the nutrients they need because they compete with other vegetation. Giving them a deep root feeding in the fall will help.
Regular fertilizer given throughout the year is applied on the surface of the tree. This is fine in the spring and summer. But in the fall, time is of the essence. A deep root feeding is a process in which an arborist uses a specialized piece of equipment to inject fertilizer into the roots of your trees. Utilizing a fertilizer mixed with insecticides, nutrients, and water can also help keep your trees hydrated and protected from pests and diseases.
3. Add Mulch Around Your Trees and Shrubs
Adding mulch around your trees and shrubs will not only add a spark of color to your landscape but will help protect your trees and shrubs from the upcoming winter elements. Mulch acts as a thin blanket insulating the roots of your plants and protecting them from wind and cold temperatures, and it also helps to retain moisture keeping them hydrated. And in the spring, it will help prevent weeds from growing by smothering the oxygen and sunlight they need to grow.
4. Protect Your Plants With Dormant Oil
Here in Illinois, we have our share of pests. And many of these pests including aphids, mites, scale, and caterpillars like to cozy up inside and on your trees and shrubs for the winter finding a nice place to rest and lay their eggs. In the spring, their eggs hatch, and they either feed on or damage parts of your tree. Most of this is regular activity, but a huge infestation of one or several pests can significantly cause structural damage, leave behind a waxy substance and/or deplete the tree of its nutrients supply.
Dormant oil, also called horticulture oil, is a product sprayed on trees and shrubs to kill existing pest infestations and prevent new ones. It is not harmful to the tree, humans, pollinators, or other wildlife. Once applied, any insects on your vegetation will be suffocated. It will also destroy any eggs or larvae left behind, so your plant is pest-free.
5. Add to Your Illinois Landscape With New Trees and Shrubs
While we mostly think of planting new trees and shrubs in the spring, fall is also an excellent time to do so. However, the cooler weather is perfect for stimulating root growth. During the fall months, new plants will be quick to grow because the roots are already trying to store up nutrients and minerals for the winter. The cooler fall temperatures will also limit the number of pests ready to infect your new trees and diseases caused by warm, moist air.
Give Your Trees The Love They Deserve With Pure Prairie Organic’s Tree and Shrub Care Program
Pure Prairie Organics offers a highly effective tree and shrub care program to help keep all your trees and shrubs healthy. As part of our tree and shrub care service, we offer an organic, natural tree and shrub fertilizer done five times per year. Our organic fertilizer is applied to the leaves and is done monthly from May through September. We offer an insect control and fungicide protection service for clients who wish to have insect protection.
Learn more about our entire tree and shrub care program by visiting our website and filling out our online form or giving us a call today. You can reach us at 630-780-7939. We are looking forward to ensuring the health and vitality of your Illinois trees and shrubs today.
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