green giant arborvitae

QuestionWhat kind of fertilizer should I use for new trees? AnswerUse 10-10-10 fertilizer at the rate of 1 lb per inch of trunk diameter scattered around the tree and watered in good. Fertilize just before a rain s

Fat Albert Thinning

QuestionQUESTION: I have a 6-7 ft Colorado blue spruce (Fat Albert) in a partial shaded raised bed about 3-4 ft from my house. I planted it 2 years ago replacing a evergreen that out grew its space. It is thinning o

Roundup/Small Trees

QuestionWill roundup sprayed around the bottom of a small tree kill it? I just planted a small live oak(about 5 ft tall). There was a lot of weeds and grass growing around the base, so I sprayed around t

BIG cottonwood tree

QuestionI have several of these trees on my property. I just noticed that one of them has a big split / crack in the bark about chest high. The bark is separating from the tree and I looked in and saw bugs, ants, a

Specimen Tree for San Diego

QuestionIm looking for a nice specimen tree for a small residential yard in San Diego. Needs to provide shade (a canopy shape would be great) and not make a mess. Will get full sun, but shade in late aft

plum trees

QuestionQUESTION: 2 years ago my plum tree bark split up and down with a gold color sap coming our of small holes, i took a sample to the some one local and was told i had boars. and they could not help me. i called

excessive leader branch on purple maple

Question3 years ago planted some type of purple maple, curb/grass area next to sidewalk. Now main tree with a number of branches is about 10, but the leader is another 6 above that with just a few shoots coming out,

Willow Tree not bearing leaves yet

QuestionQUESTION: WE have recently move into a new property which has a very old willow tree, we think at least 60 years old. Although I remeber it being covered with folliage last year, due to extensive build

Raywood Ash Growth

QuestionI have had a Raywood for 3 years... Every year in the spring as it blooms, it produces growth around the base of the trunk. Is there something I can do to prevent this? Ive heard that it means the roots are

River birch leaning

QuestionQUESTION: We have a river birch tree leaning toward the ground, it started back in February after a snow fall, After leafing out it is leaning over to the ground. After looking closely at the tree it was pla

Trenching near Walnut tree

QuestionI am planning on expanding my garage and that will require that a foundation trench be dug along one side of a walnut tree. The tree is 26 in diameter at breast height and the trench will be centered 8 from

Flowering plum planting/care

QuestionGot 4 flowering plums cheap. Now what to do w/them? I have limited space and dont want them to grow too big due to water lines in one area, electric lines up top in another. Can they be dwarfed? Will they gr

crab apple seedling

QuestionOur crab apple tree has two seedlings coming up from the ground and are about 3-5 ft. high. I wanted to know how to transplant them? Thank You. AnswerFirst check and see if they have their own root systems

Plum tree pests

QuestionMy plum tree has blossomed but now the leaves are being eaten by something. Many holes no sign of insect but tiny black dots/dust. Last year a similar problem but many black flying beetles looking like vine

Hawthorne Tree

QuestionI have a two year Hawthorne tree and would like to know if I can prune it? It has a few little buds at the bottom of the trunk close to the ground. Do I just cut them off and leave the tree alone

Red Maple Tree Roots

QuestionMy 10 year old red maple is developing fine roots above ground. We have a dirt collar about 6 inches high and the roots are above it. Should I raise the dirt level or just trim off these roots. Is the collar

mimosa tree

Questionwill mimosa tree roots hurt my septic tank AnswerAny tree planted on top of a septic tank or the fill lines could cause problems. Tree roots seek out water so if there is a leak the roots will get in to the

Florida Live Oak pests

QuestionHi, We have recently purchased a 57 year old house with 5 Live Oaks that seem to be about that age too. About a month ago we had them trimmed as the house had been empty for 3 years. The person

15 ft. blue spruce.

QuestionI have a 15 ft blue spruce in my backyard. It is next to a wooden fence, and it is hard to believe much wind could damage it from the base, It has been there for 14 yerars and thriving...until this year. We

Maple Tree lost very large branch

Question maple damaged by ice s Hello, We have to be what we are told a 200 year old maple tree on our property. December 2008 we had a bad ice storm which took off a large branch. There is now a large open ar