Dormant Oil Application

Dormant Oil is your landscaping's first line of defense against pest infestation and disease. It is also the most proactive and eco-friendly pest management measure you can take to protect your landscaping from insects prevalent in the St. Louis region.

Dormant Oil is a naturally derived horticultural oil that suppresses harmful insect populations by suffocating overwintering pests and egg masses. As the name implies, it is applied before bud break when plants are inactive to protect ornamental trees, woody shrubs and herbaceous plants from insects ubiquitous in the St. Louis landscape, including mites, scale and aphids.

Dormant oil is the safest and most environmentally friendly means of pest control. Since it is naturally derived and has a mechanical rather than chemical effect, it poses little threat to wildlife and beneficial insects native to the St. Louis region. Applied during plant dormancy, it does not come into contact with delicate plant tissue and kills detrimental insects before they have a chance to feed.

In the St. Louis landscape, dormant oil should be applied in February or March. Contact your plant healthcare professional at O'Hara Landscaping today for a free consultation.