Plant Health Care (PHC) encompasses a comprehensive set of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices that promote the overall health and aesthetic quality of your landscape by monitoring for signs of plant stress and early detection of insect infestations or fungal and bacterial infections prior to any significant damage.
1
Frequent, timely monitoring
Periodic inspections are scheduled based on the timing of pest emergence and lifecycles so treatment can be timed for the most effective window.
2
Nurture and support
Nutritional soil supplementation is incorporated to support vigorous, healthy plant growth which crowds out weeds and enhances plants’ natural defenses to fight off pests and infections.
3
Maintain natural resistance
Healthy plants can better resist and withstand infections and infestations, so maintaining plant health with proper pruning, water management, soil amendments and IPM treatments is essential for program success.
4
Spot treat as needed
We take the extra time to spot-treat specific problem areas instead of blanketing an entire area with unnecessary applications to manage pest damage and disease with the least possible hazard to people, pets, property and the environment.
5
Apply beneficial organisms
Mahoney’s IPM program includes the use of beneficial organisms such as natural parasites, pathogens and predators of pests, and a broad array of natural, organic, and synthetic treatment products. Many of these beneficial organisms exist naturally in the landscape and can be promoted by increasing plant diversity in your landscape.
6
Proper plant selection and placement
Holistic plant health care begins with thoughtful selection and appropriate placement of plant material that’s well suited for the Hamptons’ climate and your site’s microclimates.
Deep Root Fertilization
Plants need to take in nutrients and elements from the environment so they can grow and thrive. In the landscape, these nutrients are finite in quantity, so supplementation is necessary to make sure the plants have the nutrition they need.
Mahoney’s liquid nutrition formulation is packed with beneficial microbials that help process and break down nutrients that are locked up by chemical bonds in the soil, making them available for use by the plants.
Anti-Desiccant Treatments
Anti-desiccant sprays protect evergreen leaves from tissue damage by sealing leaves from the elements. The spray coating makes it more difficult for the plant to lose water via transpiration.
Bronzing and curling of broad leaf evergreens occurs during winter when cold, dry winter air pulls moisture from leaf tissue. When the ground is frozen and no liquid water is available to replace lost moisture, tissue damage can occur. Brown and tan leaves are clear signs of winter damage.
Dormant Oil Treatments
Horticultural oil, commonly known as a “dormant oil,” is applied in early spring and late fall to smother and suffocate overwintering insects, insect eggs, and mites.
This is an environmentally friendly way to greatly reduce insect populations and the benefits last throughout the growing season.
Fungicide Treatments
Once a fungal spore infects its host’s tissue, there’s no stopping it from damaging the plant. However, fungicides prevent infection before it starts by creating a protective barrier on plant tissue that fungal spores cannot penetrate.
If an infection is present, fungicides prevent the spread, allowing the plant to fight off the infection and heal any damage that was caused.
While most leaf spot diseases are aesthetic in nature, if left unchecked, they can limit photosynthesis and ultimately cause plants to decline.
Foliar insecticide Treatments
Common pests such as aphids, scales, adelgids, and mites can be controlled with a foliar application in spring, which allows for more targeted and minimal input applications throughout the season.
Systemic Drench
Some insects actually live inside their host plants, so applying a topical pesticide is not effective at controlling them. Systemic insecticides are used for these cases.
Systemic insecticides are applied to the soil as a drench, utilizing the plant’s vascular system to deliver the active ingredient directly to the pest inside the plant.
We transform landscapes into brilliant gardens and luxurious outdoor spaces from Westhampton to Montauk, including Quogue, Hampton Bays, Southampton, Water Mill, Bridgehampton, Sag Harbor, Sagaponack, Wainscott, East Hampton, Amagansett, North Haven, Shelter Island and surrounding areas in Suffolk County, New York.