It has been said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This saying also rings true in preventative plant care. Often times stressed plants are much more susceptible to insects and diseases which will further weaken them until ultimately death comes knocking. Many of these stresses are abiotic in nature meaning that they are considered to be non-living factors which adversely affect the overall health. These elements range anywhere from wind, to water, to soil compaction, poor soil nutrient capacity, pH, salt damage and the list goes on. Unfortunately, these problems, unlike insects and diseases, are more difficult to manage as there are not a litany of pesticides out there to rescue your plant material. Or are they? Commonly outward signs of environmental stresses either don’t show until the conditions are extreme, or they also can be confused with biotic, or insect/disease issues. In speaking with several diagnosticians, nearly 75% of the samples that they get for pest identification come up as environmental factors. Forested trees don’t require as much maintenance because they can do it themselves. Year after year they drop leaves which are broken down on the forest floor cycling nutrients and keeping them healthy. What do we do? We remove all of the leaves and plant trees and shrubs in planter boxes or curbside so they are in some extreme stress scenarios.
If you are familiar with Manion’s Disease Spiral, it is a great depiction of the concept of multiple factors playing a role in plant decline including predisposing factors, inciting factors and contributing factors which create the spiral from healthy tree to firewood. The key is interrupting this process. By maintaining proper healthcare these beloved landscape plants can withstand some of these stresses and survive less than hospitable situations. Recognizing that well maintained trees will thrive and be less susceptible is why Arborjet | Ecologel developed a line of products included in the Arbor Rx program. This program is fully customizable based on property, plant material, and general philosophy to tree and shrub fertility. A large portion of the strategy includes building soil health more so than just feeding the tree.
The Arbor Rx Program Highlights:
- ArborPlex 14-4-5 50% – a slow release nitrogen for even feeding over several weeks
- BioMP 5-3-2 – combines a micronutrient package with molasses to stimulate soil microbial activity and provide a carbon source.
- CytoGro – an EPA registered seaweed extract Biostimulant for root development and stress tolerance
- Hydretain– a rootzone moisture management formulation – The biggest limiting factor to plant development is the availability to soil moisture. Hydretain converts soil humidity and water vapor into plant usable micro-droplets of water, serving as a tool to help plants survive in between rainfall or irrigation.
The above chemistries paired with humic supplements found in EnviroPlex and NutriRoot will build soils and improve overall plant health to protect and thrive for many years. Arbor Rx is an easy to use, cost effective way to produce vibrant landscapes and new lines of business.
To get started, please reach out today!
Kevin Lewis
Technical Manager