Sandy's Tree Tips

We're pleased to introduce Sandy Feather as a columnist at treeboss.net. Sandy is Pittsburgh's leading garden columnist and works as the Extension Educator for Penn State's Cooperative Extension in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

On these pages, Sandy will share her timely and expert tree advice with our readers. Sandy's columns will address important tree and landscape issues, so stop back to read her latest column about trees.

SANDY'S LATEST TREE ARTICLES

Apples - Growing bigger ones
Thin your apple trees to produce larger apples.

Black Walnut Trees and Juglone
Black walnut trees secrete a substance called juglone that inhibits the growth of other plants near them.

Cytospora canker on Spruce trees New!
When branches begin to die-off in the lower part of a spruce tree, this common disease is often to blame.

Dead Tops in Pine Trees - White Pine Weevil
Pine trees that appear to be dying at the top can be due to White Pine weevil.

Deer Rubs on Tree Trunks
Bucks rub their antlers on small trees to rub off the velvet.

Excessive Mulching Causes Tree Problems
Spreading mulch too thick around the base of trees causes problems.

Fruit Tree Care
It really helps to remove lawn grasses beneath fruit trees.

Gypsy Moth identification and control
Gypsy moth caterpillars have double rows of blue dots and red dots.

Oak Wilt
Red Oaks are primarily affected by this vascular disease

Pruning Japanese Maples
Japanese maples are slow-growing and don't require much pruning.

Maple Leaf Drop
Sugar maples drop a lot of leaves when infested with maple petiole borer.

Mimosa or Silk Tree
While Mimosa is a weed in some areas, it isn't hardy in northern climates.

Surface Roots
Most large, older trees will produce some surface roots.

Treatments for Birch leafminer
Information about products that control birch leafminers.

Tree roots in sewer lines New!
Old terra-cotta sewer lines and tree root clogs.

Trees vs Grass
Some areas of lawn are better suited to trees than grass.

Salt Tolerant Trees
Trees for roadside plantings.

Trimming Weeping Cherry Trees
Weeping cherries are grafted, so any straight growth should be removed.