What pests affect SW Florida ornamentals most?

Scale insects and whitefly are the top two — both produce honeydew that breeds sooty mold, turning leaves and branches black. Lacebug damages azaleas and lantana. Aphids cluster on new growth in spring. Spider mites hit during dry spells. The specific pests depend on which plants are in your landscape.

Do you treat palm trees under this program?

Palm trees with pest or nutritional issues are covered under our separate palm injection program — trunk injection delivers nutrients directly inside the palm where foliar sprays can't reach. If you have both ornamentals and palms, we coordinate both programs on the same visit schedule.

How often do trees and shrubs need treatment?

Most landscapes need 4–6 visits per year. Spring and fall are the heaviest treatment windows — spring for whitefly emergence and new-growth aphids, fall for scale populations that built up over summer. Winter visits focus on fertilization and monitoring.

Can you save a plant that's already infested?

Usually, yes — if there's still green growth. A heavy scale or whitefly infestation with sooty mold looks terrible but the plant often recovers once the pest pressure is removed and the sooty mold washes off with rain. Plants with no remaining green tissue or severe root decline may need replacement, and we'll tell you honestly which is which.

How do you give a price without coming out?

We measure your property — lot size, landscape, and complexity — from satellite imagery, then run those measurements through our pricing engine alongside AI analysis of the yard. The number you see is the same number a tech would quote in person.

tree & shrub care estimate

Tree & Shrub Care Estimate

Trees and shrubs in SW Florida landscapes deal with the same heat and humidity as turf — plus their own pests like scale, whitefly, lacebug, and sooty mold. This plan keeps the ornamentals healthy without the full lawn-care overhead.

Measured

Satellite lot, home, and landscape review

Local

Built for SW Florida pest pressure

Clear

No contracts or bait-and-switch pricing

What you get

What's included

✓Foliar feeding tuned to the species mix in your landscape
✓Treatment for scale, whitefly, lacebug, mealybugs, and aphids
✓Soil drench for systemic protection on high-value ornamentals
✓Sooty mold and fungal disease management
✓Recommendations on pruning, watering, and mulch depth
✓Coordination with palm injection plan if you have one

Local context

What to know in SW Florida

SW Florida landscapes take a beating from scale insects, whitefly, and the sooty mold that grows on the honeydew these pests leave behind. Ficus hedges, ixora, hibiscus, crotons, and ligustrum are the most common casualties — they go from healthy to yellowed and sooty-black in a single season without treatment. Whitefly alone has cost Manatee and Sarasota County homeowners millions in hedge replacement over the past decade.

Our tree and shrub program combines foliar feeding (nutrients sprayed directly on leaves) with systemic soil drenches that protect from the inside out. The systemic treatment is especially effective against scale and whitefly because the pest ingests the active ingredient as it feeds — contact spray alone can't reach scale insects hiding under their protective shell. We tailor the product mix to what's actually in your landscape, because a ficus hedge and a crape myrtle don't get the same treatment.

Why Waves

Built for repeatable results

Treatment tuned to the species you actually have, not generic

Systemic + foliar protection — treats from both directions

Coordinated with palm injections for full landscape coverage

Same tech monitors month to month and catches problems early

Answers

Common questions

What pests affect SW Florida ornamentals most?: Scale insects and whitefly are the top two — both produce honeydew that breeds sooty mold, turning leaves and branches black. Lacebug damages azaleas and lantana. Aphids cluster on new growth in spring. Spider mites hit during dry spells. The specific pests depend on which plants are in your landscape.
Do you treat palm trees under this program?: Palm trees with pest or nutritional issues are covered under our separate palm injection program — trunk injection delivers nutrients directly inside the palm where foliar sprays can't reach. If you have both ornamentals and palms, we coordinate both programs on the same visit schedule.
How often do trees and shrubs need treatment?: Most landscapes need 4–6 visits per year. Spring and fall are the heaviest treatment windows — spring for whitefly emergence and new-growth aphids, fall for scale populations that built up over summer. Winter visits focus on fertilization and monitoring.
Can you save a plant that's already infested?: Usually, yes — if there's still green growth. A heavy scale or whitefly infestation with sooty mold looks terrible but the plant often recovers once the pest pressure is removed and the sooty mold washes off with rain. Plants with no remaining green tissue or severe root decline may need replacement, and we'll tell you honestly which is which.
How do you give a price without coming out?: We measure your property — lot size, landscape, and complexity — from satellite imagery, then run those measurements through our pricing engine alongside AI analysis of the yard. The number you see is the same number a tech would quote in person.