Ornamental Trees
Should I Paint The Wounds Of My Pin Oak Tree?
Q: I pruned some rather large limbs from a huge pin oak tree a few days ago. Today almost every cut is “weeping” heavily. Should I paint the wounds? A: There is no harm at all. The tree’s roots are...
How Far Should Trees Be Separated From Pines To Avoid Damage By Juglone?
Q: I have some loblolly pine acreage with an easement road down the middle. I‘m considering planting black walnut trees on both sides of the road for my grandchildren to sell the lumber and for wildlife. How far should the...
Should I Top My Pine Tree?
Q: What would happen if I topped my twenty-foot-tall pine trees? A: If you cut off the top of any tree, eventually a small nearby limb will begin veering upward toward the sun to make a new trunk. This might...
Good Fruit Trees For Georgia?
Q: I am new to Georgia and am interested in planting a few fruit trees in my back yard. I’d like rare but hardy ones. Any suggestions? A: “Rare” and “hardy” may not be possible. If a fruit tree is...
When To Prune My Peach Tree?
Q: How soon after planting can a peach tree be given its first pruning to develop the wine glass shape desired? A: The first pruning is usually done a few minutes after the tree is planted. Many growers cut the...
When Should I Prune Our Peach Tree?
Q: We have been waiting for the right time to prune our peach tree and I know you recommend March for that. However we just noticed that they seem like they will bloom very soon. Should we still wait until...
How To Avoid Arborvitae Splitting?
Q: I’ve seen arborvitae in many beautiful landscapes. But it always seems to split as it grows. Can this be avoided? A: Arborvitae is an excellent needled evergreen but it can have a problem with splitting. When it occurs close...
Do I Use Native Soil To Fill Around Trees?
Q: On the radio, you told a listener they should remove most of the soil a tree has around its roots before planting. You also said use only native soil to fill around the roots, no amendments. A: You should...
Do Elm Trees Have A Deep Root System?
Q: Maple trees always seem to have a problem with surface roots. Do elm trees have a deep root system? A: The type of tree you have is not as much a problem as is the hardness of the soil...
Pruning Trees – Should I Get A Pro?
Q: We have five medium-sized trees in our landscape. They need to be trimmed up at the bottom and thinned out to keep branches off the house. Is this something I can do or do I need a pro? A:...
Do Ginkgo Trees Stink?
Q: Do ginkgo trees stink? Does it depend on whether it is a male or female tree? If so, how do you know which you are getting? A: The tree itself does not stink but the fruit from female ginkgo...
How To Get My Tea Olive To Fill In With Leaves
Q: I would like my nine-foot-tall tea olives to fill in with leaves at the bottom half. How can I make that happen? A: This is tough. One option is to prune off the top half of your shrub, which...
Do I Need To Treat Soil After Termites?
Q: I had two dogwoods killed by termites. Do I need to treat the soil before planting new trees? A: Termites don’t eat the living part of the tree, they can only digest the parts that are already dead. So...
Oak tree bleeding in early spring.
Q: I pruned some rather large limbs from a huge pin oak tree a few days ago. Today almost every cut is “weeping” heavily. Should I paint the wounds? A: There is no harm at all. the bleeding will stop...
Pine and oak tree trunks can’t graft together
Q: I made a pretty cool discovery in my yard in Tattnall County. A few weeks ago I was cutting down some pine trees. As I was cleaning up some of the debris, I noticed an oak tree and a...
Silver maple dropping black things
Q: We have a silver maple that is dropping dark black things. It is coming from the limbs that are in the early budding stage. Any ideas? A: Wow, I had never noticed this before you pointed it out. I...
Slow decline of Japanese maples in pots
Q: My two Japanese maples have been growing in these pots for ten years. They have slowly declined each year. They lose leaves very early in fall and they each have small limbs that die every year, a little at...
Why I Do Not Care For Bradford Pear
It has pretty white flowers and glossy green leaves; it grows easily just about anywhere. So why do I recommend against planting it? It WILL eventually start dropping big limbs. For a lot of people, the flowers stink. If it...
