UPDATED 2022
At the Idaho Horticultural Expo in January, Pro Care met with vendors, attended seminars, & chatted with competitors on issues affecting our industry.
- Material costs are increasing 30% to 100%. Here’s an article about fertilizer: The Latest on the Rising Fertilizer Market | LebanonTurf
- Labor shortages. Wages have risen sharply yet the pool of candidates able & willing to get licensed for these services is dwindling.
- Fuel is expected to top $4 gallon by spring.
- Climate & water issues from 2021 may return this year, which are very challenging for landscapes.
Despite all of this, your lawn & landscape still needs regular maintenance, water, nutrients, & pest management. If anything, those needs have only increased.
To find a balance between these considerable challenges & the needs of your landscape, Pro Care is overhauling its residential service packages. “Premier, Standard, & Basic” packages have been retired. We’ll offer one lawn program & one tree/shrub program in 2022.
PRO LAWN PROGRAM
Our “Premier, Standard, & Basic” programs are retired. We offer one residential program, a terrific 5-step plan that covers essentials like fertilization, broadleaf weed control, crabgrass pre-emergent, & billbug control.
APRIL to EARLY MAY: Liquid application of fertilizer, crabgrass pre-emergent, and selective herbicide for broadleaf weeds. This is broadcast over the lawn with emphasis on edges where crabgrass and weeds tend to grow.
MID MAY to LATE JUNE: Granular fertilizer impregnated with a systemic insecticide to suppress billbugs. We will also spot treat broadleaf weeds & crabgrass as needed.
LATE JUNE to EARLY AUGUST: Granular fertilizer & spot treat billbugs. Only if temperatures allow, we will spot spray broadleaf weeds & crabgrass.
AUGUST to MID SEPTEMBER: Liquid application of fertilizer & broadleaf weed control.
OCTOBER: winterizing fertilizer to help lawn build roots & get off to a good start next spring.
EXCLUSIONS – other less-common issues can arise such as sod webworm & various lawn diseases. These are not covered in the program but may be treated at an additional cost.
IPM TREE/SHRUB PROGRAM
This smart & safe program is rooted in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) ideals, which prioritize preventative action & preservation of beneficial insects.
LATE FEBRUARY to LATE MARCH: Apply a mixture of fertilizer packed with essential micronutrients and a systemic insecticide as a soil drench around the base of select trees & shrubs. The solution absorbs through the roots & persists in plants for many weeks, targeting aphids & other bugs.
MARCH to EARLY APRIL: Apply a safe dormant oil spray to smother overwintering insect eggs including aphids & certain kinds of scale.
JUNE to JULY: Spray select trees/shrubs targeting spider mites & their eggs. We will also spot treat lingering aphids, blackvine weevil, & certain kinds of scale.
SEPTEMBER to OCTOBER: Apply winterizing fertilizer to select trees and shrubs.
SPIDER BARRIER PROGRAM
Spiders are immensely beneficial but we don’t want to share our homes with them. Three (3) times a year, we apply an invisible spray barrier around the home’s foundation & lower points of entry to inhibit spiders from entering. Spiders can hang around outside doing their good work!