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  (March) I am desperate. My father-in-law is moving from Waynesboro, MS (south) back to LA due to the loss of his wife. Her yard is the most wonderful garden of beautiful flowers, shrubs, and trees. I've brought several potted plants home over the years but now that the place is about to become a wonderful memory for me I want to get as many "yard" plantings as I can. I know that February is a prime month for digging up and transferring plants. Are there any precautions I should take?

  This is an excellent time to move plants from one location to another, if they are currently growing in the same area. If you are moving them from a more southern environment, you may want to wait a few more weeks. These plants may be in a more advanced state of growth in the south, and might suffer winter damage, if you place them outside here, where it is colder. When you do move them, the key is to protect the root system during the move. Wrap the root ball in burlap, sheets, or some-such fabric, and try to avoid exposure to cold weather or drying winds. The tops will be more winter hardy than the roots. For those plants that may be too large to move, consider taking cuttings. Not all plants will root readily now, but you won't be out anything, and you may have good results. The cuttings should be no larger than three to four inches. Wrap the cuttings in a moist paper towel, and put them in a plastic bag, until you get home and can get them in soil.

  (March) I have acorns all over my yard that are sprouting and rooting. If I cut them off between the nut and the new root will that kill it ??? Help quick!

  Cut them off as soon as they appear, and you should take care of them. The first leaves that appear are the seed leaves, or cotyledons. If they are removed, there is nothing left to manufacture food, and there should be no more growth. If however, you allow the second set of leaves to form, there will be a stronger root system, and you will get some resprouting. Continuous cutting, should eventually wear them out. If you catch them quickly enough, you should be in good shape. I think this will be a common problem this spring, since so many of us were inundated with acorns this fall!

  (July) I am concerned about two trees my wife and I recently decided we would purchase for our backyard. You wrote about Cherry trees and how sensitive they are to wet soils. We had a landscape plan done for our backyard that gets only afternoon sun, but the plan called for 3 River Birches. I know the 2 main reason the designer chose the trees was 1) The space is on the ground tier of our yard and provides about 20feet and 25feet of planting/growing space 2) The trees need to provide a little shade, greenery and privacy to our back patio. My wife thinks the River Birches look like sticks with leaves, providing little bloom, fullness and bloom/color. So we decided to change the plan and plant 1 Red Oak (further out in the yard/away from the original planting area) and 2 Cherry trees in the tight planting zone. My concern is that the soil holds moisture even with french drainage. Now I don't want to risk planting and losing the Cherry trees! What trees will provide some shade, color/bloom, and privacy without impinging on our house. Don't forget it has to survive with moisture in the soil -- is there one that will even help with my moisture by drinking up the H2O? Help before my wife puts a shovel in my hand!

  The reason they chose river birch may have been because of the poor drainage. River birch trees love moisture. You can still opt for the cherry trees but plant them in a raised bed to prevent them standing in water. Some trees that like moist areas include: bald cypress, blackgum, water oak, and red maple. However, none of these are particularly small trees, nor or they grown for showy flowers. Mounded or bermed planting can solve the problem, and allow you to plant the cherry trees.

  (September) I have some trees on the property that are looking poorly, one person said to put down some nitrogen fertilizer at the drip line in October or November. Another said to use ammonium nitrate and do it now. Who is right?

  Horticulture is not an exact science with only one correct way to do something. On the issue of fertilization, there are probably as many theories as there are types of fertilizers. I will weigh in with my opinion and reasoning. Rarely is a tree that is declining going to have a miraculous recovery from one application of fertilizer. Nutrition can be a limiting factor for growth, especially on a young tree, but that alone is usually not going to kill a tree, nor save it. Trees have roots usually as far out as they are tall. Feeder roots are found throughout your yard, so when we do fertilize, I prefer to broadcast it throughout the yard so that all the plants benefit. Applying fertilizer in ring around the drip line was an old recommendation that gave you a nice green "donut" in the yard, and while it did fertilize some feeder roots, it didn't get to them all. Fertilizing trees that are in established landscapes is best done in early spring through mid summer, preferably with a slow release high nitrogen fertilizer. People who use weed and feeds in February or March, are actually benefiting their trees more than their lawns, since lawns are not actively growing at that time, and therefore not utilizing the nutrition. Fertilizing past September in the fall of the year, is also giving nitrogen to lawns, shrubs, perennials, etc. If we have an extended mild fall, this extra fertilization can cause plants to continue putting on new growth which could get damaged if we have a severe winter. We have had such mild winters in the past few years, that we really haven't had winter damage to speak of, but why take a chance. When we have an established landscape, we can't really treat just one type of plant --we look at it as a whole, not each piece. In my opinion, if you have done a good job watering and fertilizing your landscape throughout the season, you have done so with your tree as well. Water is often the vital component for success with trees. If your soil is extremely compacted, aeration in late winter through spring can also help. I hope I haven't muddied the waters even more for you.

  (October) I have several big oak trees in my yard with English Ivy climbing up their trunks to about ten feet. I've been told that this won't hurt the trees and also been told that yes it will. Do I have to remove the ivy?

  You do not have to remove the ivy, but do maintain it. As long as the ivy is on the trunk of the tree, it should pose no problem. It is when the ivy is allowed to grow unchecked, that problems can occur. The ivy can compete for sunlight with the leaves on the branches and the added weight of the ivy on the limbs can cause breakage.

  (October) I have a Japanese maple which I would like to plant seasonal flowers under. They will not get much sun. What kind of flowers should I plant? Will mums live with so little sun? HELP.

  Japanese maples can have blooming plants under them, but what type depends on the season. For summer, impatiens and begonias should work well, and in the fall and winter, try pansies and violas. The maple will lose its leaves allowing sunlight through for winter color. Mums would need more sun, especially in the summer to set flower buds. Keep in mind that Japanese maples are fairly shallow rooted, so be careful about disturbing the soil when planting.

  (November) Recently, there was a question about roots in a sewer line, you mentioned roots can not damage sewer lines unless there is a crack in the line. I agree, and I was wondering if there is a crack and roots get in the line how effective is something like copper sulfate and are there certain times of the year that roots are more active? Is there any information that I can obtain concerning this?

  There are many products on the market that are added to pipes to kill tree roots. Using something in the pipes if there is a crack would simply be a band-aid approach. The only way you could stop the problem would be to repair the pipe. Once a root finds a way in, even the most tiny crack can be expanded with the presence of roots.

  (December) We planted three spring flowering trees three years ago,(two crabapple trees and one whitebud tree). We've faithfully watered and so forth and they don't seem to have grown much if at all to date. Also we have a couple of crepe myrtles that aren't doing very well despite care. Could we have a poor soil problem? We have a red leaved photinia that was an established shrub when we moved here four years ago, that is doing very well. What could we be doing wrong?

  Keep in mind that if you are seeing relatively little top growth, chances are good that there is very little root activity. Poor soil, drainage issues and rocky conditions can impede root growth, which in turn will limit top growth. How well was the soil prepared prior to planting? It may be that the soil was well amended and worked up well past the planting zone when the photenia were planted, and that would account for its growth. Investigate a little further. Fertilization and watering will help, but only so much. If the soil is poorly drained or lacking in much organic matter, it may need to be improved.

  We lost 50 trees on our one and 3/4 acre lot in Saline County because of the March 1 tornado. We are now rebuilding and would like to plant some new trees. Please give us some advice about trees that would be fast growing and provide shade. The trees we lost were various types of oaks and pine.

  There are numerous trees to try, and planting a diverse mix is great. Pin oak, cherry bark oak, nuttal oak, willow oak and white oak are all great. There is a fruitless sweetgum tree, with good growth, and excellent fall color without the messy gumballs. Thornless honeylocust, tulip poplar, bald cypress and blackgum would all be good choices. Fall is the ideal time to plant trees, giving them a rooting season, before they have to deal with foliage.

  Our yard was devastated by the tornado a year or so ago, and we lost the majority of our trees. We spent most of our time trying to get our house in order and now can direct our energies to our yard. We have located hundreds of seedling trees that have emerged on our property and would like to relocate them to areas in our yard that need shade. What should we do about moving them now? Can we direct plant them where we want shade trees, and how fast do you think they will grow? There are a number of oaks, maples and even some sweetgums.

  Seedling trees grow at different rates depending on the species. Sweetgums grow rapidly, as do some maples and oaks. Make sure the species of maples that you have are desirable, not a silver maple which is weak-wooded. You can direct plant where you want them, but put some type of barrier around them to protect them from the weed-eater and lawn mower next growing season. It also helps to pull grass and weeds away to keep away competition and the need to get too close with a mower. You might also want to invest in a couple of larger trees to give you more instant cover. I would suggest planting the seedlings at a heavier rate than you need. You probably won’t get 100% survival, and if you do have too thick a cover in time, you could do some thinning later. This is an ideal time to plant.

  I have a 9 month old home in Bryant. We have a tree in the back yard that the builders called a "scrub oak" that is close to our back patio. It was nice and green through the summer, but about 4 weeks ago all the leaves turned brown and they are steadily falling off. We would just hate to lose this tree - what could be the problem, and is there any hope of saving it? I've been watering that area about once a week during the heat.

  New construction can wreak havoc on trees. Sometimes it takes up to five years for a tree to die because of it. Watering will help, as can aeration of the soil. The fact that the leaves are falling, is actually a good sign, since those that die and remain attached, usually bodes worse. Many trees statewide are stressed--from the weather alone–yours have a double whammy. Continue to water and see what happens next spring. November is the ideal month to plant a tree, since they have gone dormant, yet the roots will continue to actively grow.

  I had a dogwood tree planted in the front of my house for the wonderful blooms. Unfortunately, I didn’t know they were not great trees for full sun, and it has since died. I think the weed-eater may have helped it along. I would like to plant a small tree that has colorful blooms. Is there something that has showy flowers and yet can take a pretty full sun location? I can water and will, (also, I’ll keep my weed-eater under control). (Little Rock)

  There are numerous choices, from the American Fringetree (Grancy Gray Beard), Flowering Crabapples (numerous varieties), Hawthornes, Buckeyes, Sweetbay Magnolia, Redbud, Serviceberry, to crape myrtles, or the deciduous hollies. The hollies aren’t spectacular in bloom, but they look great in berry when the leaves fall off. Make sure you water well during establishment, and weekly when it is dry after that.

  Please set me straight on the subject of covering up the roots of trees. I’ve noticed many people decorating around the base of a beautiful oak tree, by covering it with a few feet of dirt and topping the dirt with mulch, encasing it in two feet of brick. It seems to me that these trees need to breathe, and if this process is hindered by our efforts at decorating, the tree could die.

  Unfortunately, there isn’t any pat answer about exactly how much soil can be brought in around every species of trees. There is quite a bit of difference based on species, but as a general rule, we recommend no more than two or three inches of soil should be brought in. Two feet, is way too much. A tree’s roots are usually within the top six to eight inches of soil. Bringing in a huge layer of soil, plants and mulch, can definitely smother out a tree–and it is often a slow death. Often it is difficult to grow grass directly under a large tree, but simply mulching or using a living ground cover, should suffice.

  I live in Little Rock, and have a number of mature Oak and Pine trees. One died last year, and I would like to plant another tree in this location. I am trying to decide between some kind of Japanese Maple, and a River Birch. I already have several Dogwoods nearby. This tree would have a southern exposure and get filtered sun through the tall trees. The Maple would probably work here. How about the Birch? I do not see many Birch trees in my neighborhood, and I am wondering if they are difficult to grow. Do they need full sun?

  Japanese maples are considered understory trees, and as such, are not going to form a huge shade tree. They would do best in morning sun or in filtered sunlight, which it sounds like you have. River birch trees can in time, be quite large, but there are some problems. They like a lot of water. If they aren't in a moist location, they begin to shed leaves as soon as hot, dry weather begins. They also have the tendency to have surface roots, which can be troublesome in a landscape situation.

 I am considering trees that would make good shade on the west side of our home. I ordered dom trees from Arbor Day a year ago. I planted them in my garden to let them grow protected. I have a tulip poplar, red oak, flowering crabapple and a Washington Hawthorne. Would any of these work? The tulip poplar doesn’t seem like it would give enough shade. The land is also rocky and the tree would be on a slope.

  Tulip poplars form large shade trees, and grow rapidly. The red oak should also work. Be sure to water well the first year of establishment, and mulch to conserve moisture, especially since you are planting on a slope. The hawthorne and crabapple are both beautiful ornamental trees and while they can give some shade, they are going to be smaller at maturity. Plant them for appealing aesthetic value.

  In driving the state I am saddened by the brown look everywhere on our trees. Is there anything we can do to salvage the trees in our own yards, but what do you think will become of the thousands of trees that have burned up this season? (Cabot)

  We were all misled into thinking it was going to be a mild summer after our June and July. Then August hit, and we were in for it. The 100 plus temperatures didn’t help the extremely dry conditions. This will be the third year in a row our trees have suffered, and the long term effects won’t be good. All you can do to help with your yard trees is water. For the forests of trees statewide, we can pray for rain. They have an easier time with a denser forest canopy, heavy mulch and not as much open exposure, but many of them may not recover after this bout with heat and dryness. Many others have been burned in fires. For now, all we can do is take a wait and see approach for next spring, and then assess the total damage.

  Please tell me how I can get rid of the enclosed mess in my flower beds. The flower beds have been in place for years, and are twelve to fifteen feet away from both oak and maple trees. I first noticed these in the summer of 1997. This year they have taken over. I even noticed some in a plant pot which had new soil in the spring. Hope you can help. (Harrison)

  Unfortunately, this invader is not going to be easy to control. What it is, is the fibrous roots from your nearby trees. This summer, I am sure it was worse due to the intense heat and drought. The plants were looking for water wherever they could find it, and chances are good, you kept your flower beds and containers watered more thoroughly than the trees. The roots are simply coming to where the conditions are good. Cutting out the roots at planting, and trying to put a barrier between the root zone of the tree and the flower beds may help some, but also try watering more thoroughly near the tree. Maples are probably more invasive than oaks, but both will go to water.

  Help! A year ago, we foolishly applied Hyvar around stepping stones in our front yard. We are on a hill and unfortunately, some of the Hyvar ran down the slope reaching our pin oak. It is ten years old, and otherwise healthy. The branches on the side the Hyvar reached, are now dead. Should we remove the branches, or wait until later? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

  Hyvar is a herbicide used to control brush and weeds in open areas only. Because it moves readily in the water, it is responsible for damage to woody trees and shrubs in surrounding areas, especially following the natural flow of the water. Unfortunately, once damage is done, it is done. I would be surprised if any of the dead looking branches ever re-leafed. What is more surprising is that you only have damage to one half of the tree, and that you didn’t lose the whole thing. Prune out the dead wood, and see if in time you can direct some growth to that area. If these dead areas make the tree unstable and in danger of doing personal or structural harm, you may consider removing the tree.

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