Q: We planted some small trees last year and this spring. We tied stakes to them to hold them up. We tried untying some of last year’s trees and they seemed to be wiggly, so we tied them back up. How long should trees be staked after planting? A: You didn’t say how tight the…

Q: We have been looking at some shade trees at a few nurseries and have a question. Is it better to buy a tree in a large pot or one that is already dug up and is what they call “balled and burlapped”? A: As a general rule, I would say it shouldn’t matter as…

Q: There is a surface storm drain in the back corner of our property. Water comes from several neighbors’ yards, so this area near the drain gets flooded and the soil is soggy. Later in summer, the same area will be dried out and cracked. A willow tree planted at the edge of the area…

Q: The elm tree in our front yard has a disgusting, brown, slimy mess running down the trunk. As it dries it is leaving a white streak on the bark. What can we do to stop this? A: Your tree has a bacterial infection called slime flux or wet wood. Many tree species can get…