Dead Trees

QuestionWe just traveled from Washington State through Idaho and Montana. Between Northern Idaho and Montana it looked like a fourth of the forest is dead with standing dry trees. What is causing this? Is there anyw

damage to large oak tree root

QuestionWhile securing a 6 x 6 piece of treated lumber for a landscape border I think I nailed a 12 spike into a large oak or hickory tree root. Im estimating it entered about 3 inches in depth. Should I pull

career in biology

Questiondear mr. hyland, my name is chet murthy, and for a career exploration project in biology, and i would like to ask you some questions regarding your expertise. if you could answer them, i would appreciate i

sooty leaves

Questioni have a crepe myrtle in my front yard and two gardenia bushes in my back yard. all three have what looks like soot on their leaves. all three appear to be growing and new grow looks normal. what is causing

Pomegranet

QuestionWe have a pomegranet tree in our garden.every year when the pomegranets grow , they crack and their layer open and the insects go into them . what should we do for prevent from this cracking . plz help

Strange plant disease

QuestionI have had a Schefflera for about 1 1/2 years. It stays indoors during the winter months and outside under my carport during the warm months. I live in Middle Tennessee. The plant has done

septoria leaf spot and powdery mildew

QuestionI live in southwest kansas. We have had an atypical wet spring summer and fall. My garden was infected with septoria leaf spot, started on my tomatoes and ran rampid through my garden. Got it identified by o

Sick Boston Ivy

QuestionThe Boston Ivy on an entire two-story brick wall of our home, looks and acts awful. Its been there for 19 years and approx. five years ago the leaves started turning yellow and then dropping. The

name of a plant species

QuestionDear Jim, I would like to aske why there is sometimes (L.) after a plant species name? What is it for? Does it need to be typed in italic as the species name? Also, apart from (L.), is there any similar ab

Deer

QuestionWhy are some many foresters, such as yourself, intent on reducing deer numbers to such low levels? Lower than they would be under natural conditions. AnswerYou have somewhere in your past been m

Disease in pine trees

QuestionThere is a disease killing the pine trees in my neighborhood. I have the largest pine, well over 50 feet and dont want to lose it. The first thing Ive seen is needles turning brown, falling off w

Conifer diseases

QuestionI have a loblolly pine that has a black sooty discoloration on its needles. Can you tell me what is may be and what to do with it? AnswerThe mold you are seeing is called sooty mold. It grows on the e

very tiny bugs on indoor plant

QuestionHi Jim, My schefflera has very, very tiny black bugs or a fungus all over it. Would a mix of dawn and water sprayed all over it help? A neighbor recommended this. Help!! I dont want the plant t

Preventing ginkgo blooms

QuestionDo you know if it is possible to treat a female ginkgo tree to prevent flowering and avoid the fruits? AnswerNo not really. Most experts say that the smell from the fruit can be avoided IF the fruit is coll

norway spruce

QuestionI live in Carmel, Indiana (near Indianapolis) and I have a couple of mature norway spruce trees (30-40 tall) that are dropping a significant amount of needles this winter. This is unlike normal need

Mealybugs - Indoor Plants

QuestionI have a problem with mealybugs & wish some specific advice. I have an extensive indoor plant collection & would like to use some of them to propagate more plants to sell. With mealybugs now, its out of the

Dead trees and shrubs

QuestionDear Jim, This is a strange one for you--There was a car fire in the street in front of my home in San Diego, Ca. about three weeks ago with alot of smoke and flames. A few days

Crepe Myrtle trees?

QuestionI have always had to spray my crepe myrtle trees in the summer because the beetles love them.This past year over a period of a month the leaves had this thick black coating on them that was terrible.What is

bagworms/webworms

QuestionThus far, I have been unable to eradicate bagworms and fall webworms in my pecan trees. What preventive measures can I take to keep them from going up the trees to begin with? Timing? Treat

sunflower diseases

QuestionHi, My name is Lindsey Fletcher and I am a seventh grade student doing an experiment to see if frosting will effect a sunflowers growth. I would like to know what diseases can effect a sunflower and how I ca