According to a proverb attributed to ancient Greece, “A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they will never sit.” The proverb is a favorite of mine, not just because ...

Why do some people wrap tree trunks in paper for the winter? Should I be doing this? Expert opinions vary widely on this topic. Many believe that thin-skinned young trees – especially those that have ...

Mulch tender perennials with fallen leaves. Excessive leaf cover on your grass (more than 20%) may smother grass and inhibit ...

DEAR NEIL: Someone told me that I needed to wrap the trunk of my new pistachio tree. Do you agree? If so, why? Dear Reader: Absolutely. I use the term “non-negotiable” for wrapping the trunks of ...

*Refers to the latest 2 years of stltoday.com stories. Cancel anytime. Most species of woodpeckers that reside in Missouri do little or no damage to living trees, preferring dead standing trees or ...

I just moved from Arizona to this area, and a neighbor advised me that deer were a problem in the neighborhood and that I need to protect my plants from them. What does this mean? — Sasha Black, ...

Do you know how lumberjacks know how many trees they’ve cut down? They keep a log. Dad jokes aside, trees are a valuable resource that take years to reach full potential. Apple trees take an average ...

Q: This is the saddest Ficus I’ve ever seen. I bought it in August and thought I followed instructions but now most of the leaves have fallen off. What should I do now? The bare branches seem kind of ...

Summer sunscald happens on trees when bark gets too hot. This happens on young tree trunks or young branches of older trees. Bark gets so hot that cells die. Winter sunscald happens in colder weather ...

As the fall garden season winds down, finish the last few outdoor chores. Next on the list for gardeners: a much-deserved nap before the busy holiday season ahead. Trees With our winter temperature ...