Cottonwood Root Sprouts: Growth Retardants or Persistent Mowing

Sucker Control Without Killing the Tree Apply sprout inhibitor (e.g., Tre-Hold) to cut sprout stumps per label. Or mow/cut repeatedly—exhausts root reserves over time. Dont Use Systemic Herbicide Glyphosate on sprouts c

Drought-Stressed Live Oak in Texas: Check for Life Before Giving Up

Brown Leaves, Cracked Soil = Severe Dehydration Scratch twigs: green under bark = alive. If green found, water 1 in. every 3 days until rain. Wait until spring to decide—prune deadwood then. If All Brown Tree is dead. R

Japanese Maple Root Exposure During Septic Work: Partial Recovery Likely

Week of Exposed Roots = One-Sided Dieback Exposed roots die from heat/air. Tree compensates by dropping leaves on that side. Over years, roots regrow and canopy fills in. Care Water deeply weekly. Mulch 3 in. No fertil

Propagating Globe Willow From Cuttings: Easy in Spring

Root Willow Branches in Moist Soil Take 10–12 in. tip cuttings from healthy branches. Stick in moist potting soil in late winter/spring. Keep shaded and moist. Roots in ~1 month. Transplant after frost. Timing Fall cutt

Redwood Roots Lifting Pavers: Consult Certified Arborist

Root Pruning Risks Stability and Health Cutting roots causes canopy dieback and may not solve lifting. Better: add sand under pavers to ramp over roots, or install root barrier along paver edge. Expert Required Hire an

Carpenter Ants in Old Willow: Don't Cut Roots, Bait Ants

Root Cutting Kills Trees; Ants Are Secondary Surface roots are structural—cutting them destabilizes and starves the tree. Carpenter ants nest in existing decay; they dont cause it. Ant Control If Invading House Dust in

Red Maple Bark Splitting: Sunscald/Frost Cracks

Vertical Cracks on Young Maple = Winter Injury South/southwest trunk faces warm in winter sun, lose dormancy, then freeze at night—killing cambium. Thin-barked maples are prone. Prevention Wrap trunk with light-colored

Stacking Cordwood Between Trees: Insect/Disease Bridge Risk

Wood Pile as Pest Highway Cordwood itself doesnt kill trees. But: Pine bark beetles in pine logs → emerge, attack standing pines. Oak wilt fungus in oak logs → spreads to healthy oaks via root grafts or beetles. Hardwoo

Killing Ficus Trees for Construction: Cut and Paint Stumps

Stump Treatment With Undiluted Roundup Cut trunks near ground. Immediately paint cut surface with undiluted glyphosate (Roundup) using a cheap brush. Translocates to roots, kills entire system. Repeat on any resprouts.

Mystery Hawaiian Stick Grows Into Paulownia (Princess Tree)

15 Ft in One Year: Paulownia Tomentosa The stick was a root cutting of Paulownia (empress/princess tree). Famous for explosive growth (15 ft/yr), huge elephant-ear leaves, and spring orchid-like flowers (year 3+). Care

Hollow Birch Trunk: Decay Fungus, Tree Still Healthy

Rotted Base But Green Canopy = Compartmentalization Working Decay fungi hollow heartwood only. Living sapwood under bark functions normally. Tree can stand for decades. Care Fertilize fall: 1 lb 10-10-10 per inch diame

Wasps Digging at Ash Tree Base: Ground Nesters, Not Borers

Solitary Wasps in Soil Near Tree Many wasps nest in bare soil or under roots. Theyre beneficial predators. If nest location is problematic, treat at night with carbaryl (Sevin) dust. Otherwise, leave them. Not Tree Bore

Sand Fill Over Tree Roots at Lakeshore: 6 Inches Is Risky

Porous Sand Allows Some Gas Exchange Up to 8 in. of sand is tolerated (vs. 1 in. clay). But 6 in. may still cause dieback in 1–2 years. Never let fill touch trunks. Mitigation Pull sand back 12+ in. from trunks. Avoid

Crimson Queen Japanese Maple Turning Green: Excess Nitrogen or Shade

Red Leaf Color Loss in Young Maples Green leaves on a red cultivar usually mean too much nitrogen (from manure/fertilizer) or insufficient sun. Young trees often green up temporarily. Fix Stop fertilizing for 2 years.

Japanese Beetles on Crepe Myrtle: Rotate Insecticides, Manage Mites

Beetles Returned After Sevin? Rotate Chemistry Repeated Sevin (carbaryl) can flare spider mites. Switch to acephate (Orthene) or malathion for beetles—theyre softer on mites. Key Points Beetles aggregate via pheromones

Girdled Young Maple: Check for Life, Decide to Replace

Strimmer Removed Bark Full Circle = Girdling If bark is stripped to wood all around, phloem is severed—roots starve. Scrape twigs: green under bark = alive; brown = dead. If all brown, tree is dead. Options Water as if

Thuja Green Giant for Windbreak: Hurricane Resistance

Fast Evergreen Screen for NC Thuja Green Giant: plant 5–6 ft apart for hedge. Unpruned height 20–30 ft. Tough, wind-resistant. Hurricane Performance Roots: 1.5× foliage width. Risk: foliage acts as sail in wet soil. Mo

Green Striped Caterpillars on Birch: Luna Moth Larvae

Large Green Caterpillars = Luna Moth Description matches luna moth caterpillars: green, white/yellow stripes, orange head/feet, 1.5–2 in. They feed on birch, walnut, sweetgum, etc. Never cause significant damage. Contro

Sticky Weeping Willow in Idaho: Aphid Honeydew

Everything Sticky Under the Tree Aphids feeding in canopy excrete honeydew that rains down. Ants, wasps, sooty mold follow. Hot, dry weather often increases aphid pressure. Treatment Systemic soil drench: Imidacloprid

Japanese Maple Summer Planting in Chicago: Wrong Time, High Stress

Leaf Scorch After Summer Planting = Classic Mistake Planting in summer heat guarantees stress. Causes: wrong season, possible deep planting, insufficient water, no mulch. Remediation Check planting depth: root flare at