Bartlett Tree Experts: Tree Issues FAQs

There are many issues that a homeowner might face with the trees and shrubs on a property. Get the answers to some of the most common questions.

Tree Issues FAQs (173)

How close should I build to a tree?
I'm looking to grow a privacy hedge 62' wide and 10' tall. The contenders seem to be Canadian Hemlock vs. Emerald Arborvitae, unless you have a better suggestion. Could you give me a recommendation for which tree/shrub I should use?
I have a large Silver Leaf Maple and it has a fungus. It has had it for a year and the bark looks like it has been chewed and is split open and dark inside. This goes up several branches of the tree. The leaves have not come out on those branches and some have dropped off. Some of the tree looks and seems healthy, but a lot is diseased. The tree is 30-35 feet tall. Do you think it can be treated?
We recently moved into a new home that has a Southern Magnolia. Now that spring is here, the leaves on the Magnolia seem to look yellowish & dried out. No new buds are emerging. The tree is about 20 years old and about 20 - 25 feet high. Does it sound like it's dying?
We live in San Antonio, Texas and have a magnolia tree that was planted in 1952, which is now approximately 12" in diameter and 40' tall. The last three drought years have damaged the tree such that only a few lower branches have leaves. Can this tree be saved or is it more cost effective to remove it?
I planted a Georgia peach tree about three years ago and the leaves look like they are blistered.
We have been in our home for 24 years and for the first time, we are getting sap all over our backyard, deck, cars, etc.. The deck is turning black. We have a Maple tree in the front yard and four Oak trees in the back yard. Is it really sap? How do we treat?
I have a 15-year-old flowering cherry tree in front of my house whose leaves are curling and turning brown. We have had sufficient rainfall. My next-door neighbor has the exact same tree and it is dark green and healthy. What do you think the problem is and what can I do to save my tree?
Ants have excavated a huge cavity in my 30-year-old maple tree. What can I do about it?
There is a web-type coating on the limbs of one of our Valley Oak trees. It looks like a sleeve of webbing, thin and solid, starting at the trunk and going up several limbs. We have four trees spread out, and only one has this issue. It has been there for about two weeks and is starting to get less. What might it be, and is it bad for the tree?
I have a large plum tree in our garden. A major branch (about a third of the whole tree) loaded with plums has torn two-thirds of the way down and is now resting on the ground. What is the best course of action? Is there anything I can do to save the unripe plums?
Can many years of accumulation of black oil sunflower seed hulls under a bird feeder hung on an old maple tree cause the top of the tree and some lower branches to die?
I have a question regarding the proper removal of branches extending from the base of a tree I have. These are much thinner branches that have grown from the base of the tree since spring and I was wondering if I should leave them alone or if possibly I could remove them with pruning shears to help with the overall look of the tree. I would say the branches are probably no thicker than half an inch around at most. Also, how can I prune them to prevent them from growing back later?
I have a white pine tree that was leaking and had little holes in it last year. It was treated, but now this is happening again. Might it be infected with bugs?
We cut branches improperly from three of our trees and at least five of the branches resulted in bark being ripped from the tree trunk. Is there any dressing that I can put on the trees to help them heal faster and keep out disease, such as Tree Kote? Or should I just leave them to heal on their own?
I have a young Japanese red maple that appears to have what looks like small white/tan spots scattered on the leaves. Otherwise it looks healthy. I have not been able to discover just what this is and if it needs treatment.
We have a large Ash that is roughly 20 to 30 years old. I am noticing that the ground around the base is rising and, about five to seven feet out, the ground, by contrast, appears to be lowering. This has slowly been happening over the last 3-5 years. What should we do?
We have a stretch of six to eight feet tall Emerald Green Arborvitae which, this year, have a lot of brown foliage in the center of the tree. Last summer, we put a drip line on the trees with fertilizer but they appear to be dying. They were planted about ten years ago have been relatively healthy until recently. What would you advise?
Can I grind down a few inches around a live oak tree to eliminate heavy growth of root sprouts?
I have a weeping cherry tree that is about 13 years old. The leaves are sparse, sap is running from the trunk, and the trunk is split. What can I do to help it recover?
My snowball tree is being eaten badly by something. The leaves look like spider webs, I am thinking caterpillars but I don't see any. It's looking dreadful and I am wondering if its worth saving?
I have a very large oak tree in my yard that has very few leaves this year with some dead wood. There is also some bark coming off. We are in Brazoria county, Texas. The tree has been fertilized and sprayed for pests. The tree is estimated to be 75 years old. We also have a tree in the back that is much older and also much healthier.
We have two Silver Maple trees in our front yard. Last week when the tide was extremely high, we had salt water covering much of the base of the trees. After several days, we found most of the leaves from one tree on the ground and many from the other. Could the salt water during the high spring tide have impacted the trees?
I have been having a good number of Live Oaks die quickly on my property. Unlike live oak where I see the chlorisis on the leaves and they die in over six months or so, this tends to kill the tree in about a week to two weeks. The leaves all turn brown and only half will drop, the park peels off to leave a fine brownish red powder underneath where the bark was.
In spring, I noticed some bare branches on my tree which is a mature specimen. Since then I have noticed more of these branches, but see no signs of infestation such as bag worms, borers, etc. The bark also seems to be peeling off in some of the areas. Any help will be appreciated.
I have an oak tree, presumably Black Oak, that has a lot of dead branches. It also has a hard, woody fungus growing around the base of the tree. Is this fungus symptomatic of a disease, or merely that the tree is dying? Can anything be done for the tree?
I have three Thundercloud Plum trees, approximately five years old. Located in full sun at the top of the lawn and within the lawn sprinkler area. One tree dropped leaves early last fall and was very slow to flower this season and is quite sparse with leaves too. There is a white powder on the leaves and mold-like growth on the trunk. Is this a sign of too much water?
We planted a dogwood tree in our back yard that is approximately four years old, so it is still pretty small. Last year, we noticed the bark was missing on one side, so we sprayed black protectorant to cover where, we think, deer ate or rubbed off the bark. Now the top is dead, but the bottom, around four feet high is bushy, green, and healthy looking. Should we prune the top off? Is the tree going to survive?
There is a very large Oak tree between my neighbor and I. It appears healthy, but now there is an opening at the root base about a foot high, a half-foot across, and about five inches deep. Several years ago, a similar tree which was diseased, fell into and damaged our home. We are a bit paranoid. We were wondering what measures or precautions we should take?
A large tree fell on our Norway spruce trees. Several limbs were damaged an branches were forced down. Is there any way to help limbs to grow back up to normal angle?
We have a tree that might be about 30 years old. The bark on the upper limbs has always peeled, but this spring, it is also peeling in the trunk and no leaves have bloomed. I believe this is either an Elm or Ash tree. Neighbors say it's dying but no big branches have fallen nor are their any holes in the tree or mushrooms growing at the base. Woodpeckers put holes in the trunk, but I don't know if that would cause the bark to peel off. May it be due to the very cold weather this past winter?
I have two mature trees in my front yard. One is a Cherry Plum and I am not sure what species the other tree is. For the past several years, I have noticed a reduction in leaf growth on the Cherry Plum tree. It only appears to be happening on the west facing side of the tree. The other tree has been experiencing a marked increase in branch die back this summer even to the point where the branch dies with leaves still attached. I am not sure if I have a pest problem or if I just need to prune and increase the amount of water. Any guidance you can provide is greatly appreciated.
I have a Purple Leaf Plum tree that has great sentimental value to me. Unfortunately, I have noticed a problem in the trunk. It has split and turned black in color. On the positive side, it has started to bloom. I truly hope you can help as this is a very special tree.
I have a problem with gall aphids to the extent I picked over 300 off one small tree alone. I understand there is a fall spray I can use to help reduce them. What is the best spray, quantity to use, and the best time to do it?
One of my older Redwood trees is weeping sap at the base of the trunk and looks bad. What should I do?
It's mid-April in Garrett Park, MD and all the trees around here, except the 30' tall hickory tree in my front yard, have leaves. Is it safe to assume the hickory tree is dead? We noticed last fall that more nuts than usual fell from the tree. Could that have been a sign?
Can you prune evergreens?
We have an Alpine tree near our house, which is 160 cm from the base of the stump to the corner wall of the house. The tree is 12 feet tall and has a radius of 70 cm. Will the roots interfere with the property? Also, should we consider felling the tree or is regular topping sufficient to keep it under control?
I have a ten year old lemon tree. Recently, the tree is experiencing yellowing of leaves and a lot of early leaf drop. I get flood irrigation twice a month and fertilize it with citrus fertilizer three times per year. What is happening to this tree?
Will pruning my redbud produce more flowers next spring? If not, is there anything I can do to get more flowers? It does flower but not like some I've see that are the same size.
I have a Chinese Pistache that is about 15 years old. It has whole limbs with no foliage year round and the amount of foliage on the tree has been less and less each year. It is in a weekly watered lawn situation. Any ideas on the issue? Is there a remedy?
When in Lancashire recently, we saw a prunus avium tree totally covered in a web, as if covered in clingfilm. Can you please advise us what would have caused this and also what is the cure because I have to advise the owners? Thanks.
I have a silky material that is covering the trunk of my tree. The tree is either a water oak or white oak. So far, all the silky web is contained to the main base of the trunk. Is this dangerous to the health of my tree?
I have a red maple that has been healthy, but it is starting to lose its leaves and its branches are dying. How can I figure out what is happening?
My mulberry tree has what looks like a split/opening in the bark that runs almost down to the ground. At the top on the trunk, there is a rotten stump from a branch that was pruned in the past. There appears to be bore holes in it. Is it possible these are termites? Also, do you do treatments for affected trees?
I have a male ginkgo tree that was planted 12 years ago . It has hardly grown. Do you have any suggestions? It does get plenty of water and sun.
I have a large Ash tree in the center of my back yard. Since normal leaf growth is largely on outer third of the limbs, would it benefit the tree to shorten some limbs occasionally to encourage more growth closer to the center and reduce weight on the outer limbs? I have seen a larger ash in our neighborhood with so much weight on outer limbs that the tree split.
I have a three-foot Japanese Maple tree that I planted it in the spring. I followed the directions on how to plant it in the ground surrounded by mulch (very little mulch, and it is not touching the trunk or tree).

The problem is that the tree has started producing new leaves that are shooting out, and I am concerned because it started doing this in September. Is that a problem?
Our oak trees have green mold spots about six inches across. Is it detrimental to the tree?
I have a mature Norway maple of about 25 years with an old split and scarring along vertically along the length of the trunk. There are two limbs emanating from each split side and I would like to know whether this will result in an eventual severing of the two limbs along the scarring line and whether something can be done- like the placement of a collar or brace to prevent future severing. What can you do for me?
I'm purchasing a new home and there is a tree leaning in the backyard. Do you think that this might present an issue?
I have a Hard Maple that is three years old. It has done very well up until this weekend. It looked fine on Friday when I went out of town for the weekend. Today, all of the leaves are drying up badly and are showing some kind of discoloration. I am very concerned about it and would like for someone to come out and make a recommendation. Let me know if the tree can be saved and what needs to be done.
My tree has started to lift from the roots on one side since a storm. Before the storm there was some activity on the other side of this tree that may have led to some compaction. Would it be poor practice to add some compaction to the lifting side to even this damage out or would you recommend another method?
A spruce tree is planted close to the corner of our house and a power line runs through it. We have been told it will double its height, which is now nearly 20 feet, and will create problems with our perimeter drains and perhaps our sanitary sewer. The suggestion was to have the tree removed. Can it be pruned instead?
We have a Stella Cherry Tree that had a lot of rotten cherries last year. It leans as well and is getting seemingly worse. How and when should it be pruned? Also, is there a way to make it straight by using cables or wires?
What are the consequences of planting a Amelanchier cross Grandiflora Robin Hill Rootball tree a meter away from a house?
Can you tell my why squirrels are pulling bark from the trunks of white oak trees? Is this of permanent damage and danger to the health of the trees?
I have a 50+ year old maple tree that I thought was healthy up until this spring. The tree produced a couple million helicopters and only a handful of leaves. I read online that it might be Verticillium albo-atrum or Verticillium dahliae, which basically says my tree is done for. What are your thoughts?
When planting a new red maple tree, should you stake the tree?
After removing a tree, how deep should one remove the stump in order to plant a new tree?
I had a new Shumard Red Oak planted about two weeks ago and now the leaves are turning brown. When the tree was planted, the root flare was put four inches into the ground and covered up with dirt/clay. I have removed the dirt as much as possible, but it will continue to get covered up unless I can get it out of the ground. Is it O.K. to dig up the tree and put more dirt into the hole to raise the root flare out of the ground, as it is it is killing the tree because all the leaves have turned brown in a matter of days with all the rain we have been having?
I've lived in my house for 17 years and we have a beautiful Japanese maple that seems to be dying. Leaves are small and there are many dead branches, though no visible bugs and no known trauma to the tree. Is there something to look for or remedy?
I have an autumn blaze maple that, over the past few weeks, shows small "bumps" of various colors on the leaves. Also, I have seen some cotton-like substance on the tree. What should be done?
We planted a Chinese Pistache in our front yard about 15 years ago. It's done great, but this year quite a few branches are bare, and the leaves are pale green to almost yellow. There also is browning on some branches and a lot of sap is coming from the trunk. Our lawn is fine, so we are not sure what is wrong. Can you help us?
We have a tree that looks like a Hackberry, and even has pea-sized berries, but the leaves are larger. While all the other trees in the area are green from the recent rains, the leaves on this tree are turning yellow and falling off. Could our tree be sick?
Our Chanticleer pear tree has what appears to be a large amount of suckers. We cut it back weekly, but this year it doesn't look healthy and has small, undeveloped leaves on some branches. What would you recommend?
We have a very tall Red Oak standing in a bed of ivy 20 feet from our house. Until this year, it looked healthy. Now it is stressed and seems to be begging for help. The leaves nearer the top are shriveled up and yellow. Closer to the ground, we can see that the leaves are most brown at its distal portions. There is also some brown spotting. We wonder if this is a result of the drought, the ivy or, a blight of some sort?
We have a Dogwood tree approximately seven years old. The bark is cracking in several spots the leaves are discoloring and wilting. What is this disease and can it be eliminated?
Are there predaceous mites that control honey locust and Euonymus fortunei?
We have large Leyland Cypress roots coming through an asphalt path. The trees are probably over 30 years old. The roots are a safety hazard for those using the path. We want to shave off the roots and redo the asphalt. How much will the roots come back?
I have two Red Oak trees in my front yard. Both are about 20 feet tall with 6 or 8 inch trunks. One of the oaks has dark green leaves and very full. The other is pale greenish/yellow with brown spots. Can you help me with this?
How can I tell if my mature pine trees are dormant or dead? I cannot reach the branches. They recently lost their needles after turning brown in July/August. One still has a few pine cones on it.
We have an Apricot tree that is about five years old now. We just started to notice that the leaves are turning yellow from the top down. We can't remember if this has happened in the past. Is this normal fall foliage? Also, should we be trimming back some of the branches this time of year?
Hello I have branches that need to be removed from my house. They are located where the hydro power line attached to the house. I was advised by Toronto Hydro that an arborist is needed to remove the branches, and that the hydro might have to be shut off in order to do this. Does your company provide this service, and if so, will you arrange the power shut off with Toronto Hydro. Can you provide an estimate of the cost. Thank you, Shirley Yanover 62 Borden Street, Toronto
I am new to growing citrus fruit. I recently planted a Persian Lime tree in my backyard. The tree is approx. 5 1/2 feet tall and is producing it's first crop of fruit. I have had 3 or 4 limes that have split open and I'm not sure what has caused this to happen. (It is as if the inner fruit is growing faster than the outer skin.) Can you tell me whether or not this is common, and if there is anything I can do to prevent it. I have included a picture of one of the limes in question. Any help/advise would be greatly appreciated.
How do I know when an oak tree is diseased and must come down?
My maples, viburnam, hydrangea, and others are getting rectangular, white raised spots on the back of the leaves. What is this and how do I treat it?
Is my white pine tree infected with bugs? It is leaking and seems to have numerous little holes in it. Last year, we treated it but, it seems as if it is leaking again?
Our mountain ash tree has white spots on it and the leaves are falling off. Can you help?
My redbud tree's bark is falling off the tree in big slabs. Should I be concerned?
I gave my neighbor permission to have their "tree guy" trim a large branch from my 100 year old oak tree because it partially hung over their house. I came home to see that they climbed my tree using shoe spikes and that the tree had chunks removed from where they climbed up.I have often heard that this is not a good thing to do to a tree. Do I have a reason to be concerned and if so is there anything that can be done to reverse or prevent any further damage to the tree?
We planted a Monterrey Oak tree last year. It has split bark over a large part of the trunk and all the way to the ground. Some areas are deep and look like rot. We know that it had a fungal disease from too much water last summer. What could be the cause and how do we treat it?
Our neighbor has two camphor trees - one large and one smaller. The roots from these trees are causing our concrete driveway to rise. We are very concerned about the structural damage underground caused by these trees. How do we obtain a professional evaluation of the damage caused by these trees?
When is the best time of year to prune birch trees?
Given our strange weather can you give me a guesstimate of when it would be safe to move arborvitaes.
I have noticed unusually extended yellowing of the inner needles of my pine tree. The same phenomenon shows in the pine trees in my neighborhood. I know that some yellowing is a natural occurrence, but I haven't seen it to this degree. Is there a problem with a fungal disease?
Approximately 18 months ago, a utility company had our 45 year old Twin Maples trees pruned away from power lines. When we observed the first tree being severely cut back, we told the workmen to stop. The second tree was then cut back less severely under our supervision. After 18 months the first tree showed deterioration and the second is luxurious as the first used to be before the cut back. Shouldn't the tree crew have used a sealant on the cut branches to avoid deterioration?
I have a 10 year old Southern Magnolia which is failing to thrive. Despite fertilization, it continues to have open habit with poor leaf growth and fewer blossoms. Do you have any suggestions?
I have some neighbors who think they may have tree blight. How common is it in North Carolina? What kind of trees does it effect? How can you diagnose it? What is the best way to prevent spread?
Someone hit a tree in my yard a few weeks ago. There was some damage to the tree. It's a somewhat large tree around 2.5 feet in diameter and maybe 60 feet tall? I'm not sure how to appraise the damage for the insurance claim. Do you do that? I'm not sure if the tree should be removed. Do you do that?It's in West Price Hill. What do you charge for the estimates?
Should I be concerned about potential foundation damage or damage to the sewer system from medium size holly trees close to a home's foundation?
I have a 25 to 30 foot red oak that appears to have iron chlorosis. It has deteriorated over the last two years, and about a 1/4 of it has not leafed out this year. I'm very concerned about losing it, but am having difficulty finding someone knowledgeable to look at it.
We have an upright red Japanese Maple, and it has dead branches on it after winter frost damage. How can I promote new shoots from the tree?
I have a Dogwood Tree that I planted about 15 years ago. It has always flowered beautifully for me, but this year it did not flower - not even a leaf came out. It looks like there is new green growth on the tree, so I don't think that it is dead. I do fertilize the tree every year and put down mulch. Any ideas for me?
During several recent storms, we lost the top half of three large trees in our front yard. Two were poplars and one was a sweet gum. They ranged in height from 50 feet to 80. So now the remaining trunks are 25 to 40 feet. Can we leave these and expect branches and leaves back or do the trees need to be cut down?
We have several blue spruce trees in our yard and one is dying, dropping green needles, and turning brown. I don't want it to spread to the others. The trees are about 20 to 25 years old and have always been beautiful. If there is a known problem this year, perhaps you could recommend a spray.
We have two 20 year old Maple trees that stand next to each other. One of them is losing its leaves and looks like it's dying. I talked to a local tree service and they thought it sounded like a root fungus. They suggested we contact you. Can you help?
We have a very large, old piney oak that is in our backyard and is about 50 feet tall. We moved in about two years ago and it was beautiful. Now, there is green fungus growing up the bark. Also, some smaller branches have died. Could give me some idea of how to treat the green fungus?
I planted an ornamental cherry tree in my front lawn and have noticed bleeding around the bottom part of the trunk. This season it bloomed and I noticed a considerable reduction in the amount of leaves. Is there a problem?
It appears our Japanese Plum is oozing sap. We are concerned it is diseased. We live in a major urban area, and are wondering how much it would cost to come out to do an evaluation?
I have two mature Chinese Elms in my front yard. Suddenly, large amounts of leaves are turning yellow and falling. I think watering is adequate. When leaves started dropping, I applied a long, slow soak and have done the same more frequently than usual. Is there anything else I can do? Can it be determined if some branches are dead and if so, should they be removed to save the trees?
Tordon was applied to our banks to control poison ivy in 2017. We started noticing trees turning colors and leaves curling shortly after. Is Tordon used as a weed control or will it kill off surrounding trees?
I have a young Japanese Red Maple I purchased about 24 months ago at Lowes. It appears to have what looks like small white/tan spots scattered on the leaves. Otherwise, it looks healthy. I have not been able to discover just what this is and if it needs treatment.
I have lived in Braidwood, IL for 10 years and had watched this elm tree grow with our garden. Suddenly, the tree died. My question is what can cause a healthy 40-foot elm tree to suddenly die? The tree is currently covered with flies and moths.
We have a Mulberry tree that is overhanging our lane and causing issues to the neighbours. We understand they need careful pruning to avoid damage to the tree. It is about 40-50 years old and roughly three stories tall. We also have an ivy growing and choking the neighbouring lilac that needs removing. Please can you advise as to the best approach and the best time to do the work?
We lost one Birch, one Red Maple and now seem to be losing a Shady Bark Birch. It starts with the leaves getting black spots on them. Then they turn a lighter green, curl and the tree dies very quickly. What is happening?
We moved to Hellam, PA a year ago and had a peach tree that was diseased. We cut it back and it is growing rapidly and has a lot of peaches. We never sprayed it and it has green flies all over the fruit. How do we get rid of these and how do we spray so we can still eat the fruit? I am afraid to eat the fruit since these flies are all over the peaches.
My magnolia tree has a secretion. The secretion attracts mostly black wasps, but other insects are also attracted to it. The tree appears to be dying a slow death. The secretion catches fire when exposed to a lit match. The secretion stains anything it falls on. The secretion is sticky to the touch. Can you diagnose the problem and recommend a remedy?
I have a tree in my yard that has a dead branch, which I believe has termites. If it does have termites, does the whole tree need to be removed or just the dead section?
Will removing or trimming tree roots on established trees damage the tree?
Last fall, one of my white pine trees turned a yellowish color and lost a lot more needles than usual. The other white pines nearby did a similar thing without the needle loss. The other white pines have recovered and are lush and green, but the original one appears to be dying, drying out, and showing more yellow. They are all approximately 10 years old. What can I do to save it?
We have four Scotch Pines at the front of our house which about 20 years old. One has many brown needles and today I just noticed a patch of very bright yellow fungus at the base. I have also noticed some other "sick" looking pines in the neighborhood. What should we do?
I have a Heritage river birch that loses 75% of its leaves every year early in July and creates quit a mess. It also looks terrible once the leaves fall. Otherwise, it seems to be in good health. I planted it as an eight-foot sapling nine years ago. It is now twenty-five feet tall. Unless I can find a solution, I plan to cut it down and replace it with something else. I hesitate only because it is a beautiful specimen with its leaves on.
I have a very old Pecan tree on rural property in Austin county between Sealy and Brenham. We are planning on building a house near this tree next spring. The tree was hit by lightning almost a year ago last summer. You can see how the bolt followed the trunk down and into an exposed root. The tree has plenty of leaves and looks good, however I need an expert's opinion to tell me what the chances are of it living so I can proceed with the location of our house. The tree is very old and large, so I want to know my options (if any) besides cutting it down.
A couple of limbs turned brown on the tree that I thought was due to the drought. I watered the tree and removed the dead limbs and noticed that the brown limbs were covered in sap. Now it looks like more limbs are covered and turning brown and the trunk is oozing sap. Can anything be done?
We have a Walnut tree approximately six meters from our house. The height of it is approximately 35 feet and it was planted 35 years ago. The back patio is now starting to rise from the roots of the tree and I am concerned about the roots getting underneath the house (if they have not already done so). I want to know what I should do about this problem?
When is the best time to have my peach tree and cherry tree pruned?
I believe two of my large vine maples (planted two years ago) are dying of root rot. They both have collar lesions. There are three others in the vicinity. I have read up on Phytophthora and know the basics. Is it likely to spread to the other three? Is it important to remove the dying ones immediately? Is there an effective treatment for the remaining three?
I have a Canadian Cherry Tree which has been infected with black knot for the past few years. The tree is approximately 20 feet tall and about nine inches in diameter. For the past two years, I have been trimming the infected branches, but to no avail. At this point, what are my options?
I have a large maple tree dropping clumps of leaves with seeds (helicopters). These clumps seem to be from the ends of branches. I don't recall the tree doing this before. I don't know if it is just squirrels, or if someting else can cause this. The edges of the stems seem to be rather clean, more like a cut than a chew or a break. I also have noticed this happening to my neighbors maple. My oak tree next to the maple is not affected. Can you please advise? Thank you.
Our 13 year old Rhodedendrons in front of the house have slowly been dying over the past three years. We tried feeding, watering, and spraying with milky substance for a bacterial infection with no results. The leaves turn brown on tips and curl. The tops of leaves are pale in color with veins remaining a darker green. The underside of leaves have tiny rusty/brown colored dots. What should I do?
I have two poplar trees in my backyard. They are about 35 years old. Many green leaves have been falling the past couple of years. What is causing this and how can I fix this?
We have two oak trees that appear to be dying from the top down. The larger of the two is located in a group of large oaks with a couple of other species. Is this condition something that will spread to the other trees? Is there a cure?
We have two very large Pecan trees that seem to be dropping a lot of limbs. They are planted fairly close and hang over the back of the house. Just yesterday a very large limb fell and nearly hit the house. We are concerned that they will drop a huge limb and hit the house or cause other damage. Could the trees be diseased? What should we do?
In our neighbors yard, there are bamboo trees growing. Now they have started showing up in our yard. How do we get rid of them so they do not come back?
I have an elm tree (50 years old/approximately 30-40 feet tall) that has leaves that are wilting, partially turning brown, and falling off. What is it and what can be done to save it?
I have an Eastern Red Maple, about 12 years old, which forms a very important screen. It has recently developed occasional squarish black spots on a few of its leaves. It is also looking slightly weak and the leaves are starting to turn to be at slightly odd angles. There is some insect damage at the outer edge of some of the leaves that results in a smoothing of the otherwise distinctive maple profile.
How large will a Bonfire Patio Peach tree planted in the ground get compared to one planted in a pot?
I have about 30 Blue Spruce trees planted in two rows alongside my property. They are spaced 10 feet apart, and set back 20 feet from the street. I planted them about 18 years ago. The last couple of years, I've noticed many of the lower branches have lost their needles and died. I'm wondering if they are lacking some nutrient? I have 10 additional Spruces in my front yard that do not have this problem and are beautiful. Please help. These trees provide a lot of privacy for my corner-lot backyard but I'm beginning to be able to see through them.
The beautiful cherry tree in my yard appears to be quite sick this year. Although it bloomed splendidly, many of the leaves now appear to have been eaten, lacy, and with holes. I cannot see any insects. What do you think? Can it be treated?
I have a large spruce tree that is infested with carpenter ants. They have tunneled into the tree at two places. Can the tree be saved and what steps should be taken to save the tree?
Several of my large pine trees have developed blue/green scales on their trunks and branches along with a feathery, silver coating on their boughs. Can you diagnose the disease and identify treatment options? This also have spread to my rose of sharon bushes along their trunks.
My Lemon Tree, which has been in the conservatory through last winter and is still there, has developed a sticky substance on the leaves that then drops on to the floor. Is this anything to worry about and how can it be treated?
Can you treat powdery mildew on two young dogwoods? I have read that they can be sprayed and will need repeated treatments.
We are trying to save our Ash tree which is suffering from some kind of disease. The leaves are neither shriveling or falling and some branches appear dead. The tree is about 12 years old. Should we just get it cut down?
We have a 20-foot Pine tree that is constantly dripping sap. The tree provides wonderful shade, but unfortunately, some of the branches overhang our driveway and the tree is dripping the sap all over our cars. Any ideas on what is causing it and ways to be able to help it not "bleed"?
What are the black spots on the leaves of all the maple trees in our area?
We have two Brazilian Pepper trees. One we have had for three years and is doing great. The other tree is two years old, and just recently, seems to have started dying, as only the lower branches remain green. We have tried to use a product that was purchased at the same nursery to revive the tree with no results. Should we try pruning the higher branches?
I have two horse chestnut trees, which are approx 25 years old. This year, the leaves started to discolour in the summer and now red liquid is coming from the bark. Is there any cure for this disease or do I have to destroy them?
We have three big Blue Spruce trees in our front yard. All of a sudden, the branches have started to turn brown and are very brittle. What is going on?
I have two tall palm trees. I believe they are Mexican fan palms. The neighbor is requesting that they be trimmed as they are concerned about possible damage from the falling fronds on their house/windows. I know it is recommended to wait until spring to prune, but with reason, how risky is it to prune during the winter?
I have a Loquat tree that had Amine 400 (2,4-D) sprayed at the base. Now the leaves are turning brown. Can it be saved?
I have two large trees with mistletoe and wanted to know have to deal with removing them.
My young redbud tree has lost about half of its leaves after a month of drought and high temperatures. Will it recover on its own, or is there something I could do to help its recovery over the winter?
We have Trompensburg Japanese Maple that had red leaves when we got it three years ago. Now it has all green leaves. Why is this?
We have a large (18-20' tall, 5' diameter) Beaucarnea recurvata in our backyard. One of the branches is growing downward at about a 45 degree angle and is interfering with our pool deck walkway. It's about 4' long and 3" diameter where it attaches to another main branch that is probably 5" in diameter. We'd like to remove the 3" diameter branch. Is it safe to do so? We don't want to risk any damage to the tree.
I have a twenty foot birch tree in my back yard. Last year around August, the leaves of the tree turned yellow and prematurely fell off the tree. At the time, I was not overly concerned as fall was right around the corner. This spring, only about half of the branches had buds on them and now that the leaves have come, some of the leaves have begun to wither and die. One of my neighbors suggested that I pour a solution of water and an insecticide that contained “systemaxx” around the base of the tree. I poured the solution around the tree following the instructions on the container. This did not seem to help and the tree seems to be dying. Is there anything now that can be done to save this tree?
I have a 13-year old River Birch in my front yard. It originally had four trunks. Due to one trunk touching my roof and causing the need to trim often, I had that trunk cut down a couple of years ago. The person who cut it for me painted the wound with something black to seal it. I have noticed recently that that cut area (about 10" in diameter) has rotted. It appears to be filled with dirt. I am afraid of losing the remaining three trunks of the tree, which are beautiful, if this opening continues to trap water every time it rains. What do you recommend to protect my River Birch? I assume I should scoop out the loose material and fill it with something to seal it.
I have a Kousa dogwood and it is not producing flowers like it has in the past.
We have an older avocado tree which has very little fruit most years. The tree seems healthy, but it seems like all the buds fall out in the spring. The avocados that do mature are good and do not fall. What can we do to get more fruit?
I have a peach tree with a red-looking blister on the leaf. How should I get rid of it, and will it hurt the fruit?
I have an one hundred acre park. A small percentage of the pine cones are extremely sappy. Any suggestions?
I have some Leyland cypress trees that I've had to shore up due to what appears to be excess underground water within 12" of the ground surface. Will they ever recover their "footing" so I can remove the shoring? I've taken the step of employing fertilizer spikes also to hopefully help them along.
I discovered the trunk of my weeping Japanese Maple tree is split from the weight of the snow from last winter. The tree is about 4 years old and still fairly small (about 3 1/2 feet tall). Is taping the trunk an option? With a good feeding, is it possible to save the tree, or should this be considered a total loss?
Will removing small sucker branches from the lower trunk of a mature oak trees improve the overall tree health?
I have a very old oak tree with about a 6 foot diameter trunk. It is almost completely covered with a draping moss. The leaves are thinning and only at the tips of the branches. I recently bought the property and the tree has had no care in a long time. Can too much moss hurt an oak tree? What type of feeding can be done and when? Who can look at the tree to diagnose problems? This is a historic oak I do not want to lose.
I have a cherry tree which seemed to drop its leaves a little early last year. I have another one beside it and it seems to be starting to come around for spring, however the other one doesn't seem like it's going to bloom. How do I know if something is wrong and if it's something I can treat so I won't have to cut it down?
I lost one of my pear trees last year and now this year I seem to be losing another The leaves start to turn yellow and they get black on the tips. I thought it might be fire blight, but I do not notice any cankers. Any help would be appreciated.
I was told you can start a linden tree from a branch. Is that correct? I started one in water a few days ago and so far it looks like it did when I cut it from the tree.
I have an older grapefruit tree and one of the branches near the trunk extending up is loosing its bark. I bought the property about a year ago and this problem doesn't seem to be getting any worse, but it is a concern as we don't want to lose it. Any advice?
We are worried that our tree is diseased because we found a large amount of mushroom growth at the base. What does it cost to have an arborist check it out?
I just bought my house and there is a palm tree near the pool. Lately the branches are turning more yellow than before. I don't know if it needs a trim or what the problem is. How much would it cost for an assessment?
I have a weeping cherry tree on which the leaves are sparse, sap is running from the trunk and the trunk is split. What can I do to help it recover?
I am having two neighboring maple trees removed to make way for a septic leach field. It is an optional removal. They will not be able to be excised once the delicate piping etc. will be put in. Will I have more standing water on the ground now that the trees, and roots are not there to use excess water? The trees are about 20 feet from the house.
With some severe wind this week, we had one of our nice, medium-sized Oak trees (probably about a foot in diameter) split almost in half. One of the larger branches broke right off. I'm especially concerned about the health of the tree now that temperatures have been below freezing several nights this week. Should I be sealing the wounded part of the trunk?
I have two peach trees. The fruit has black spots and also the leaves fall off prematurely. I have sprayed them with copper fungicide twice a season. Is there anything I can do while they are dormant to prevent this condition?
I have a very large oak tree in my yard that has very few leaves this year along with some dead wood on it. There is also bark coming off. The tree has been fertilized and sprayed for pests. What's wrong?
My tree is in terrible shape. The leaves have what looks like a lot of black mold on them. One side of the tree has lost all of its leaves. My landscaper planted this tree last year and I'm wondering if the sprinkler is watering it too much. This tree looks like it could die.
When transplanting bur oak seedlings from small pots into the field this spring, should I leave the rootball intact or break away soil and plant as bare root?
Last year I noticed masses of orange-coloured blobs on two large juniper shrubs in my garden. The shrubs seemed to be unaffected. This year I noticed in May that several of the leaves of hawthorn in my garden hedge were displaying yellow spots. Many leaves have since turned brown and died. Some of the twigs have brown, shriveled leaves, but also healthy green leaves. The reverse of the yellow spotted leaves have short spiky dry growths (which may be the shriveled remains of the jelly growths of the juniper). The problem occurs to the hawthorn close to the offending juniper. I found your article, 'Rust Diseases of Hawthorn' by Thomas R. Martin et. al., on the internet and as a consequence have removed the juniper shrubs. My garden lies on the boundary of common land, which is covered by trees, primarily oak, ash, blackthorn and hawthorn, and is also bounded by field hedges containing hawthorn. Your article lists chemical treatments, which should be applied in the spring. It is now too late to apply these and the junipers have been removed. Should I spray surrounding hawthorn nevertheless? There are fewer juniper than hawthorn in the area so it would therefore be easier to spray the juniper. Would this be successful? For what distance can this rust infection spread? I have been trying, unsuccessfully, to locate supplies of those chemicals listed in your technical report. Could you tell me how, if necessary, to obtain them?
This morning I heard a commercial on the radio that described our Birch tree: the top is dead. The tree is about 15 feet tall. What should we do?
We have a two year old tree which I believe is a Japanese Maple. The bark on the tree is splitting from the bottom to the top. Do I need to worry about the tree dying from this problem?
We have a 10 foot tall Dogwood that has had very little growth since we purchased it. The leaves are also changing color out of season. Is there something wrong with our tree?