oak tree (big)

Questionnoticed bark off in big spots on tree:greenish powderly stuff on those spots: top of tree bear braches and some with dead leaves.think maybe lightening stuck tree: tree is close to house and electrial servic

pruning a cyprus

QuestionJim, I have two Italian Cyprus trees on either side of my front entrance gate planted about three years ago. They evidently love the location(Southern California very near the beach) because although t

Premature color in Maple tree

QuestionIn the fall of 2005 we had two Autumn Flame Maples planted by a professional nursery. They are about 4.5 inches in diameter. Up until about two weeks ago all was well. Now one of the trees

what to do about scale on a Sunburst Locus tree

QuestionWe live in The eastern part of Wisconsin -Two Rivers. We were trimming the dead branches from the tree and found what we thought was called scale from some things we read, but dont know what to do about it

Acer Globosum (Maple) problem

QuestionAbout 18 months ago I planted a set of 12 acer globosums. They were bare rooted when bought. They are about 10 feet tall and the stems are 1.5 to 2.5 inches in diameter. I have problems with 4 of the trees.

tree with a stinky smell and red in the bark

QuestionWe noticed that this tree in my yard died last Summer. Right in the mid of summer all the leaves fell off. This Maple tree was about 15 years old. So today we cut it down, needless to say i

ants in pine trees

Questioni have +/- 2mm black ants in my pine trees. the bark seems to be falling off. remedy? i live in nw new mexico elev 5500 AnswerThe ants are not attacking your treee but are feeding on other insects under the

Southern Magnolias

QuestionWe have a southern Magnolia tree and last year had extensive sap drip and black ? fungus coming from it. From what i have read this is being infected by a bug. There are also excessive bees ? on it? what can

Possible Galls on Oak Tree

QuestionThank you for responding, it was very helpful. I have a few more questions: So basically, there is nothing we can do about the galls? Do these ever just go away? What about the wasps that

Pink Dogwood tree

QuestionI have a pink dogwood tree that has doubled in height in just two years (tall & thin) I would like to keep it shorter - can I cut the top off and if so how much and when it the right time to do it? AnswerI

Paper Birch Trees

QuestionI have a paper birch tree in my yard that has tan/brown oblong and circular stains on the bark. Could you tell me what it might be and if possible the remedy? Thanks, Pete AnswerSounds like lichens

Pink Flowering Almond Tree

QuestionHi Jim - We have a pink flowering almond tree and just noticed that the trunk and the majority of the branches have a thick dark substance, almost like pitch, but its not sticky, but a harder substance. &nbs

insects killing my japanese maple

Questioni have some sort of insect - leaves a sawdust trail that looks like a worm sticking out of tree about 1/2 to inch long. bark is now peeling off exposing gray-tan saw dust and tiny worm-larve about 1/8 to 1/4

stump removal

QuestionI cut the stump as close to the ground as I can, cut slits in it, with the saw, & pour in/on table salt. It works. AnswerThe salt will kill the root system and stop the tree from sprouting but will do

purple robe locus

QuestionI live in modoc co. and have two purple robe locus. Can I start some more from the shoots the are coming up from the ground around them? Or by cutting off thier suckers? Thank-you JoAnn AnswerPurple robe lo

Trees w/beetles

QuestionHello! I hope you can help us. We have a dogwood and a maple tree in the back yard, both trees have beetles on them, but the dogwood seems to be in bad shape. What can we do to get rid of them. &

lime trees

Questionwhat is the root span of a 100 foot lime tree AnswerThe root area is not based on the age but the size of the tree. Tree roots are generally located in the top eighteen inches of soil. Roots do not extend d

Tree damage to trunk from chewing dog

QuestionI have a 2inch dia. gum tree the 1 yr old boxer chewed the bark from a 12 inch vertical span half way up the trunk. I place 3 concentric wire circles around the trunk and now he chewed a 5 inch patch off my

pruning advice needed

QuestionHi Jim, There is an apple tree at the border of my yard which only give crabapples in the 8 years since weve lived here. My neighbor, whos given me permission to prune the tree since its on the border of

Preventing Poplar Tree Fluff

QuestionHi Jim We too have a poplar tree which disperses obsene amounts of white fluff every June/July. The tree is huge and it is amazing how much of the stuff actually falls - we clean the eavestroughs almos