It seems pretty simple to plant a tree. Dig a hole. Drop in a tree. Fill the hole. Add water. Go back inside and have a beer. What could go wrong? Yet year after year, we see trees planted incorrectly ...

Give your trees a head start.

Q: We moved to a property where there are many shallow, large roots spreading out from a mature tree in the lawn, and the roots have holes in a few places. Should we fill them in to prevent rot? A: ...

Q: We excavated a trench for drainage near an oak tree. At the closest point, we are maybe 12 feet from the trunk of the tree. We did not break any roots larger than about 3/4 inch. Will the tree live ...

We don’t often think about the roots of trees until there is a problem. A forester friend of mine called it a “fencepost mentality.” Being underground, they are often out of sight out of mind. However ...

When you admire a towering oak or a vibrant maple in your backyard, you're only seeing half the picture. Beneath the surface lies a sprawling, intricate world that is arguably more fascinating than ...

Those gnarly surface roots snaking through your yard aren’t going anywhere, and cutting them could cost you the entire tree. The good news is that hiding them well is easier than you think, and a few ...

Although they aren’t the most visible part of the tree, the roots are the true heroes in the world of horticulture.

Q: Soil and grass keep washing away around a large oak in our lawn, exposing more tree roots plus creating more of a downward slope. A friend says to pile up mulch to cover it and create a volcano ...