Plant Health Care
Diagnosis Comes Before Treatment
Plant Health Care is a diagnosis-based approach to identifying and managing the biological, environmental, and structural factors affecting a tree’s condition. It may include soil and root-zone care, targeted pest management, injury response, and supplemental structural support based on the tree, the site, and the purpose of the work.
Visible symptoms may be connected to soil conditions, root disturbance, drainage, construction injury, environmental stress, pest activity, disease pressure, structural defects, or several interacting problems. At Eric Putnam BCMA Inc., we evaluate the tree and its growing environment before recommending practical next steps. Products and treatments are not applied automatically.
When Plant Health Care May Be Appropriate
Plant Health Care may be appropriate when a tree is showing changes in appearance, growth, structure, or performance. The visible symptom is the starting point, not the diagnosis.
Visible Changes You May Notice
- Yellowing, discolored, or undersized foliage
- A thinning or increasingly sparse canopy
- Premature leaf drop
- Dead branches or progressive canopy dieback
- Reduced growth or loss of vigor
- Bark abnormalities, sap flow, or visible wounds
- Fungal structures near the trunk, roots, or surrounding soil
- Ball moss accumulation
- Insects, webbing, scales, holes, or boring debris
- Storm, lightning, construction, or mechanical injury
- A trunk that enters the soil without a visible root flare
- Cracks, splits, weak unions, or unusual movement between stems
Conditions Plant Health Care May Address
- Soil compaction and restricted pore space
- Poor drainage or excessive soil moisture
- Root-zone disturbance or loss
- Excess soil or improper mulch placement
- A buried root flare or visible girdling roots
- Nutrient limitations
- Pest and arthropod activity
- Environmental and construction stress
- Decline associated with multiple interacting factors
- Lightning injury
- Structural defects that may require supplemental support
Soil and Root-Zone Care
A tree depends on the soil surrounding its roots for water, oxygen, mineral nutrients, and biological support. Compaction, drainage problems, disturbed roots, excess soil, buried trunk tissue, and improper mulch placement can interfere with root-zone function and contribute to long-term decline.
Biostimulant Treatment
Support soil structure, microbial activity, nutrient exchange, and root-zone function where environmental stress or poor growing conditions are affecting tree performance.
Chemical Fertilizer Treatment
Provide targeted nutrient support when tree condition, growth response, and site conditions indicate that fertilizer may be appropriate as part of a broader treatment plan.
Root Flare Excavation
Carefully remove excess soil and mulch from around the base of a tree to locate the natural trunk flare, expose buried trunk tissue, and evaluate visible roots or girdling conditions.
Root Zone Mitigation Treatment
Address compaction, drainage limitations, restricted rooting conditions, and other site-related stressors affecting the tree’s root zone.
Pest and Decline Management
Pest treatment should be based on the organism involved, host species, activity level, tree condition, treatment timing, and surrounding site. Similar symptoms can have different causes, so identification and evaluation should occur before treatment is recommended.
Ball Moss Treatment
Address significant ball moss accumulation where canopy coverage and site conditions justify management as part of the tree’s overall care plan.
Caterpillar Treatment
Manage active caterpillar populations when feeding and defoliation are affecting canopy performance, appearance, or the tree’s seasonal stress load.
Pine Bark Beetle Treatment
Evaluate pine bark beetle activity in relation to the tree’s condition, surrounding pines, site stress, and the realistic potential for preservation.
Pine Tip Borer Treatment
Address active tip-borer pressure where shoot injury, distorted growth, or repeated terminal damage is affecting young or susceptible pines.
Scale Treatment
Manage scale activity using recommendations based on the scale involved, host species, severity, treatment timing, and the tree’s response.
Termite Treatment
Evaluate termite activity in relation to dead or deteriorated wood, trunk or root-zone injury, moisture conditions, and the tree’s overall structural condition before recommending appropriate next steps.
Wood Borer Treatment
Evaluate exit holes, boring debris, bark injury, canopy decline, and other signs of wood-boring insect activity before defining a treatment approach.
Tree Injury and Structural Support
Some trees require care following a specific injury or evaluation of a structural defect. Treatment and supplemental support should be based on the tree’s condition, the defect involved, surrounding targets, and the realistic potential for continued management.
Bolting and Bracing
Install rigid supplemental support where cracks, splits, weak unions, or other structural conditions may benefit from reinforcement as part of a defined management plan.
Lightning Strike Treatment
Evaluate lightning injury involving the bark, vascular tissues, roots, canopy, and structure, then develop a preservation plan based on the extent of damage and the tree’s response.
Static Cabling
Install a static cable system to limit movement between selected limbs or stems and provide supplemental support where evaluation indicates that cabling may be appropriate.
How We Approach Plant Health Care
Evaluate the Tree and Site
We review the canopy, branches, trunk, root flare, surrounding root zone, drainage, soil conditions, visible pest activity, site history, and recent changes to the property.
Identify the Primary Stressors
We consider whether the symptoms are associated with soil and root conditions, environmental stress, pests, injury, structural defects, or multiple interacting factors.
Recommend Targeted Next Steps
We define the treatment objective, explain the proposed work, identify relevant limitations, and recommend treatment, monitoring, additional evaluation, or another management option.
Do You Already Know What Plant Health Care You Need?
Request a free estimate when you are considering Plant Health Care treatment for a tree or property. If you need an independent diagnosis, detailed recommendations, documentation, or professional guidance without committing to treatment, schedule a paid arborist consultation.
Why Homeowners Choose Eric Putnam BCMA Inc. for Plant Health Care
Plant Health Care requires more than recognizing a symptom and selecting a product. Tree condition, site history, root-zone conditions, environmental stress, and treatment timing can all affect the recommendation.
Diagnosis Before Treatment
We evaluate the tree and surrounding site before defining the treatment objective. Similar symptoms may have different causes and should not automatically receive the same treatment.
Site-Specific Recommendations
Our recommendations consider tree species, condition, root-zone limitations, pest activity, environmental stress, surrounding targets, and the realistic goals of treatment.
Clear Expectations and Follow-Up
We explain what the proposed treatment is intended to accomplish, what limitations may remain, and whether monitoring or additional care may be appropriate.
What Our Customers Say
When it comes to the care of your trees and yard, we understand how important it is to find a tree expert you can trust. Thanks to our personalized and professional approach with our arborist visits and tree consultations, our customers rest easy knowing their tree’s health will always be our top priority. See what some of our clients had to say:
