What Is Plant Healthcare?
Healthy trees don’t happen by accident. In Vermont’s changing climate, trees and shrubs face increasing pressure from both native and invasive insects, diseases, and environmental stressors. Plant Healthcare is a proactive approach to caring for trees and shrubs that focuses on prevention rather than reacting after problems appear. Many insect and disease problems develop long before visible symptoms appear. By the time damage is noticeable, treatment options may be limited. A thoughtful Plant Healthcare program helps identify concerns early, reduce stress, and support long-term health. When Plant Healthcare is approached as an ongoing partnership—with regular monitoring and seasonal care—many trees and shrubs can remain healthy, resilient, and attractive for decades.
Plant Healthcare programs may include a range of targeted treatments, depending on the tree, the site, and the issue at hand. These can include soil health improvements, treatments for specific insects or diseases, support for nutrient deficiencies, and measures to reduce environmental stress. The goal is not to treat everything, but to apply the right care at the right time, based on what the plant actually needs.
Our Approach to Plant Healthcare
Acer Tree Company’s Plant Healthcare (PHC) Program is a science-based approach to supporting the long-term health of trees and shrubs through observation, early diagnosis, and thoughtful care planning. Rather than relying on routine or broad treatments, our approach is grounded in understanding what each plant needs—and what it does not. We practice environmentally responsible tree care by using targeted applications, careful timing, and the least invasive methods appropriate for the situation. Our Plant Healthcare Program focuses on; early detection of insects and diseases, proper timing of treatments based on pest life cycles and environmental conditions, general vitality improvement through supportive care, and reducing chronic stress by addressing underlying issues. When treatment is recommended, it is selected with care—always considering surrounding plants, pollinators, soil conditions, and the broader landscape. When appropriate, we offer bee-friendly and organic treatment options as part of a balanced, site-specific approach.
Plant Healthcare Suite of Services
Every Plant Healthcare service begins with a diagnostic visit. During this visit, Andy, our Plant Healthcare Manager, evaluates your landscape, identifies existing or potential concerns, and develops a customized care plan tailored to your site, goals, and values. Based on these findings, recommended services may include the following:
Targeted Insect Management
Focused treatments for specific insect pests, applied only when needed and timed to be most effective:
- Emerald Ash Borer trunk injections. Learn more about protecting your Ash trees
- Leaf-feeding insects, including bee-friendly treatment options
- Scale insects, with dormant and late-season applications when appropriate
- White pine weevil
- Caterpillars and other seasonal pests
Tree & Shrub Disease Management
Supportive services that strengthen overall plant vitality and resilience:
- Anthracnose
- Leaf blotch diseases
- Needlecast diseases
- Crabapple and fruit tree diseases
- Organic and traditional disease management options
- Many disease management programs involve multiple visits over the growing season, timed to interrupt disease cycles and minimize long-term damage.
Tree & Shrub Health Support
Supportive services that strengthen overall plant vitality and resilience:
- Seasonal fertilization to address nutrient deficiencies
- Anti-desiccant treatments to help protect evergreens from winter injury
- Protective treatments to reduce browsing damage from deer and other wildlife
- Air-spading, a non-invasive process using high-pressure air to gently expose roots for inspection and diagnosis. This technique can help identify issues such as stem-girdling roots, reduce soil compaction, and improve water, nutrient, and oxygen movement in the soil.
If you’re noticing changes in your trees or shrubs or simply want a better understanding of their health, we invite you to get in touch and start a conversation about responsible, long-term care. We are always glad to talk through what you’re seeing, answer questions, and help you decide whether Plant Healthcare services may be appropriate.
What Our Clients are Saying
