Mulching trees; and a stack of new books

QUESTION: How should mulch be put around trees — piled high or spread even with the ground and good edging to keep water within? There are many good reasons to use mulch around trees in a landscape. It keeps the soil warmer in winter and cooler in summer; it helps the soil retain moisture; it [...]

Banish the Bradford pear

QUESTION: When should Bradford pear trees be pruned? Is now a good time? How far back should you prune them?   I’ll answer the last question first, and echo the thoughts of many landscape and forestry experts who believe that these trees should get just one pruning cut – about an inch above the ground. [...]

O, Christmas pine

QUESTION: I’m using a Norfolk Island pine as a small Christmas tree. What do I need to do to keep it looking nice, and how do I care for it when the holidays are over? Norfolk Island pine provides a nice alternative to the big tree at Christmas, especially if your space is small or [...]

Leafy lawn = free mulch

Our yard is about to be covered with maple and oak leaves. Can leaves be used as mulch in flower and vegetable beds? All those trees that are turning brilliant colors are about to flame out and drop their leaves to the ground. Yes, most of them can be used as mulch, and they can [...]

Hug your hackberry

Question: I have a hackberry tree which came up by seed and I let it grow. It’s now about 5 or 6 yrs old and very tall. This year it has not put out any leaves yet. The other hackberries in the neighborhood are putting out leaves. Could it have died? I thought they were hardy because [...]

Flowers are a no-show

Our dogwood tree has not flowered the past 2 years.  Do we need to feed it or treat the soil?  Otherwise, it is alive and well.   This question came to The Garden Bench early last week, and I have a couple of follow-up questions: How old is the tree? Has it bloomed before? Is [...]