How to Protect Trees & Shrubs with a Systemic Soil Drench
If you want healthier trees and shrubs with less insect damage this season, applying a systemic soil drench is one of the easiest and most effective preventative steps you can take. Bonide’s Annual Tree and Shrub Insect Control is designed to protect ornamental trees and shrubs from the inside out with just one application per year.
How a Systemic Drench Works
Unlike sprays that sit on the leaf surface, a soil drench is applied around the base of the plant and absorbed through the roots. Once taken up, the active ingredient moves throughout the plant’s vascular system, protecting leaves, stems, and new growth. Because the protection is internal, it won’t wash off in the rain and it reaches pests that are often hard to control with contact sprays.
After application, smaller trees and shrubs typically take 2–4 weeks to fully absorb and distribute the product. Larger or more established trees may take 4–8 weeks, depending on their size and environmental conditions. Applying early in the season ensures the plant is protected before insect populations build.
What Pests Does It Protect Against?
Bonide’s Annual Tree and Shrub Insect Control helps protect against many common ornamental pests, including:
- Aphids
- Lace bugs
- Spider mites
- Whiteflies
- Leafminers
- Scale insects
- Japanese beetles
- Emerald ash borer (on labeled trees)
These insects feed on plant sap or foliage, causing yellowing, stippling, curling leaves, thinning canopies, and overall stress. By stopping insects as they begin feeding, a systemic drench reduces visible damage and supports stronger, healthier growth throughout the season.
One Application for Season-Long Protection
One of the biggest advantages of this product is convenience. It’s formulated as a once-per-year application for most ornamental trees and shrubs. After the plant absorbs the treatment, it continues circulating internally, providing long-lasting protection without the need for repeated sprays.
Why Now Is the Ideal Time
Early spring is the perfect time to apply a soil drench. As plants come out of dormancy, they actively move water and nutrients from the roots to new growth — which helps distribute the systemic product efficiently. Treating now ensures protection is in place before peak pest pressure arrives in late spring and summer.
Preventative care is far easier than trying to correct heavy insect damage later. Making an annual soil drench part of your landscape routine helps maintain healthier foliage, stronger growth, and more resilient trees and shrubs all season long.
If you have questions about which trees and shrubs should be treated, we’re happy to help you determine the best plan for your landscape.
