Diagnosis guide
What’s Wrong With My Maple Tree? A Symptom-by-Symptom Guide
Start here if a maple looks wrong: leaf spots, scorch, wilting, a thin crown or late leaves.
Nick Robinson
Good places to start
Identification
Black Spots on Maple Leaves: Tar Spot and Its Look-Alikes
Raised black patches in late summer are usually tar spot. How to confirm it and what actually helps.
Troubleshooting
Maple Not Leafing Out in Spring? What to Check First
Frost, last year's drought and root problems can all delay leaves. A scratch test narrows it down.
Step-by-step
Fire Blight on Pear Trees: How to Prune It Out and Prevent It
Blackened shoot tips bent like a shepherd's crook. Where to cut, when, and why you clean the pruners.
My guides by topic
Tree Problems & Diagnosis
Disease profile
Rust on Pear Trees: Orange Leaf Spots and What to Do
Bright orange spots on top of the leaf and odd growths underneath. What causes them and what to do.
Treatment timing
Peach Leaf Curl: When to Spray and How to Stop It
Red, puckered leaves in spring come from a fungus you can only stop while the tree is dormant.
Roundup
Birch Tree Diseases and Pests: How to Tell Them Apart
The usual birch troubles, from bronze birch borer to leaf miners, and the sign that points to each.
Fruit Trees
Harvest guide
When to Pick Peaches: Signs They Are Ready
Ground color and a slight give: how to tell a peach is ready to pick.
Troubleshooting
Why Didn’t My Peach Tree Bloom This Year?
Winter cold, pruning and age are the usual reasons a peach tree skips blooming.
Troubleshooting
Cherry Tree Not Producing Fruit? 6 Reasons and Fixes
Age, frost, a missing pollinator or too much nitrogen: why a cherry tree gives no fruit.
Planting & Propagation
Timing
When to Plant Willow Trees (and How to Get Them Started)
When to plant a willow, and how to get a new one established.
Step-by-step
How to Grow Oak Trees From Acorns
Growing an oak from an acorn, from the float test to transplanting.
Step-by-step
How to Plant a Maple Tree
Planting a maple: the hole, the root flare and the first watering.
Pruning & Seasonal Care
Timing
The Best Time to Prune a Maple Tree
Late winter or early summer: the best time to prune a maple.
Pruning
When to Prune Juniper Trees and Shrubs
Why junipers never regrow from bare wood, and how to prune them.
Pruning
How and When to Prune a Dogwood Tree
When to prune a dogwood so you keep next spring's flowers.
Identify a Tree
Chart
What Kind of Pear Tree Do I Have? A Simple ID Chart
European, Asian or Callery: telling pear trees apart.
Field guide
How to Identify a Juniper Tree
Scale-like foliage, blue berries and shreddy bark: recognizing a juniper.
Choosing the Right Tree
Species guide
What Is the Easiest Oak Tree to Grow?
The oaks that are easiest to grow in a home landscape.
Variety guide
What Is the Best Peach Tree to Grow?
Matching a peach variety to your winter chill, spring frosts and local diseases.
Distance guide
How Close to a House Can You Plant an Oak Tree?
How close to a house you can plant an oak.
Roots, Suckers & Removal
Root guide
Are Oak Tree Roots Invasive?
How far oak roots spread, and what they can and cannot damage.
Root guide
How Far Should a Willow Tree Be From a House?
Willow roots, sewer lines and safe planting distances.
Root guide
Do Birch Trees Have Invasive Roots?
Birch roots are shallow and wide, but how much of a threat are they to foundations and pipes?
