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Our knowledgeable staff here at Garden-Ville are available to answer many of the questions you might have about gardens, landscaping, and trees. Many problems with plants, however, cannot be responsibly diagnosed other than in person. We're located in central Texas and may not be familiar with the details of gardening in very different climate or soil zones. One of the guiding principles of organic growing is adapting methods to the particularites of local soil and climate. With that in mind we'll do our best to answer your question, but if we can't we'll be happy to help you find the appropriate resources or professionals in your area.

Feel free to browse the topics below to see if we've already answered a question similar to yours. If you can't find the information you need, the question submission form is located at the bottom of the page.

  • I set out a grafted pecan tree a few years back as a pollinator for older trees. A wind storm broke the crown out above the graft. I now have about 4 large shoots above the graft with one being larger than the others. The height is about 8 feet. Is the tree ruined? Should I leave it as is? Should I prune all but the largest one?

    12/22/20089:20:20 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sick Tree Treatment, Tree Questions

    You can do whichever you prefer, although I would probably recommend leaving all the shoots in place. I'm not sure if the total height of the tree is 8' or if that's where the break occurred and the sprouts are coming from. If you want the tree's canopy to begin there then you should leave it as is. If you want a higher canopy you should prune to the single shoot. Bear in mind that shoots of this kind are often more weakly attached than a typical branch, so if you grow one of these shoots into a single trunk it may be more prone to failure in the future. Also, the tree will probably look more normal if its allowed to develop its canopy from this place rather than off a single shoot that will result in a offset trunk. I would also recommend putting down some of our Sick Tree Treatment, which is a blend of biosolid compost, lava sand, and greensand. It helps damaged and stressed trees to recover. You can buy it at any of our stores or order it from our website.

  • I have 2 Italian Cypress that do not have green on one side of the tree. What can I do to nursse it back to health?

    12/15/200811:27:29 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sick Tree Treatment, Tree Questions

    Without more information its hard to say exactly what is wrong with these trees. Italian cypress are susceptible to a variety of problems. Make sure you aren't overwatering. Italian cypress are a Mediterranean species, which need good drainage and a chance to dry out between waterings. Also check for environmental factors that might be causing death on one side of the tree only. Spider mites are a common problem on these trees. Vigorously shake some of the brown branches above a sheet of white paper. If you see tiny little specks--smaller than a pinhead--moving around on the sheet you have mites. Regardless of the problem we recommend our Sick Tree Treatment for stressed trees. It's a mix of Greensand, lava sand, and composted biosolids that improves the soil and provides the micronutrients that the tree needs to improve its health.

  • I am looking for a way to keep these inch type worms off my patio. They come up one step onto the patio and then die there. So they get dried onto the patio floor and are hard to get off. Is there something I can spray around the patio step?

    12/6/200811:09:57 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Insect Control, Sick Tree Treatment, Soil Questions, St. Augustine

    Once you've established where they're coming from and how they're getting in you can treat their access point with any kind of spray that will serve as a deterrent. Our Orange Oil diluted to a rate of 1-2 oz per gallon should deter them; a garlic and pepper spray will do the same thing. A couple drops dish soap in either of those will help the spray to adhere to the surface. Spray it directly onto the surfaces they are crossing to get onto the patio.

  • I have a plum tree that I planted several monts ago (San Antonio). It appears that it is dying, The leaves are falling off, after turning brown. I am watering every five to seven days. There are several other fruit trees that seem to be doing fine. Any thoughts?

    11/28/20089:42:02 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sick Tree Treatment, Tree Questions

    Sounds to me like its just going dormant for the winter. Nothing to worry about. Be careful not to overwater. If you have some concerns about the tree you can put down some of our Sick Tree Treatment. It's got lots of minerals and micronutrients that boost the tree's natural defenses against disease and insect attack.

  • I live in the Atlanta, GA suburbs, and I have a yellow poplar in my front yard that has been dropping brown leaves all summer long. I have seen other yellow poplars in the neighborhood that have much fuller canopies and have just started to turn yellow. Mine is all yellow and brown and the leaves on the branches are scarce. I have noticed some of the leaves on the tree have small holes in them also. I want to save the tree, it is fully grown and has the potential to be beautiful. What should I do?

    10/22/20083:31:07 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sick Tree Treatment, Tree Questions

    For any definitive diagnosis I would definitely recommend having a professional out to look at the tree. If you go to http://www.isa-arbor.com/ you can find an ISA Certified Arborist in your area. It sounds to me like you may have some kind of fungal disease causing premature leaf death and drop. Trees are more vulnerable to disease and insect attach if they are unhealthy. Prematurely yellow leaves may indicate a nitrogen deficiency. You also might check your watering regimen. Too much water or poor drainage can cause root disease which can manifest as a nitrogen deficiency. We sell a product called Sick Tree Treatment. It comes in 40 pound bags, each of which treats 1000 square feet. You'll want to treat the entire area under the dripline of the tree (the edge of the canopy). You can order it through our website. We also recommend mulching around the base of the tree. Going as far as the dripline is best, but at least 4-6' to a depth of at least 3" is highly recommended.

  • I live in the North Texas area and have a blooming crabapple tree in my front yard. It has done fairly well in the last couple of years. I have noticed mushrooms growing on it and spots on the trunk. They are not white but are a lighter color than the bark. Do you think I have a problem?

    10/14/200810:17:23 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sick Tree Treatment, Tree Questions

    Anytime you have mushrooms growing on a tree it indicates a serious problem. Mushrooms are the fruiting body of fungi. The main part of the fungus is the mycelium, which is growing inside the wood. Different fungi have different specific effects on a tree, but many of them can seriously weaken or kill a tree. The mushroom is just the exterior sign.

     

    Fungi usually attack weak or stressed trees. I would recommend having a certified arborist out to inspect the tree and make treatment recommendations. An application of compost covered by mulch around the base of the tree to a diamater of at least 6' or the dripline (whichever is less) can be very helpful to a tree. We also sell a product called Sick Tree Treatment that is available for order from our website or at many of retailers who carry our products. They may also be able to order it for you. However, avoid any nitrogen fertilizers for the time being, as this can stimulate growth and inhibit the tree's defensive reaction. Make sure the tree is getting sufficient water but be very careful not to overwater. If you are experiencing average rainfall supplemental water shouldn't be necessary. In any event don't water more than once a week, deeply. Many fungal diseases thrive in overly wet conditions.

  • I HAVE A PINE TREE THAT I WAS TOLD HAS BLIGHT, HOW CAN, OR WHAT CAN I DO TO SAVE THE TREE. I APPEARS TO BE BURNING, NEEDLES ARE TURNING TAN COLOR, I KNOW WHEN THEY TAN THE NEEDLES ARE DONE, CAN IS SAVE THE GOOD ONES?

    10/3/20082:54:26 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sick Tree Treatment, Tree Questions

    It's hard to give a specific diagnosis of the problem without being able to examine it in person and knowing the age and species of the tree. There are numerous kinds of blight. In general we recommend applying our Sick Tree Treatment around the tree at a rate of 10 pounds per 1000 square feet and mulching to a depth of 3-4" around the tree to the dripline. These are both very effective ways to bolster the tree's natural disease resistance. For more specific treatment options your best bet is to contact an ISA certified arborist to examine the tree and make recommendations. You can go to http://www.isa-arbor.com/ to find an arborist in your area.

  • I HAVE A PINE TREE THAT I WAS TOLD HAS BLIGHT, HOW CAN, OR WHAT CAN I DO TO SAVE THE TREE. I APPEARS TO BE BURNING, NEEDLES ARE TURNING TAN COLOR, I KNOW WHEN THEY TAN THE NEEDLES ARE DONE, CAN IS SAVE THE GOOD ONES?

    10/3/20082:54:11 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sick Tree Treatment, Tree Questions

    It's hard to give a specific diagnosis of the problem without being able to examine it in person and knowing the age and species of the tree. There are numerous kinds of blight. In general we recommend applying our Sick Tree Treatment around the tree at a rate of 10 pounds per 1000 square feet and mulching to a depth of 3-4" around the tree to the dripline. These are both very effective ways to bolster the tree's natural disease resistance. For more specific treatment options your best bet is to contact an ISA certified arborist to examine the tree and make recommendations. You can go to http://www.isa-arbor.com/ to find an arborist in your area.

  • I have a large cedar tree in my front yard. about 1/3 of the branches are turning brown. What can you suggest?

    10/3/200811:17:47 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sick Tree Treatment, Tree Questions

    In general for trees that are showing signs of poor health we recommend mulching around the tree to a depth of 3"-4" at least 6' out from the tree, preferably as far as the dripline. We sell a product called Sick Tree Treatment that is extremely helpful to trees in stress or decline. You can spread this around the tree to a few feet beyond the dripline.

     

    As far as the specific condition affecting your tree, it's hard to diagnose without more information. How are the dead branches distributed in the tree? Is it the tips of all the branches, or a few major branches in one area of the tree? If you send us some pictures, both some closeups of the affected foliage and some wide shots of the whole tree crown we might be able to identify the problem.

  • I mistakenly put "broad leaf" weed killer on my double weeping cherry and red dwarf peach trees. They both lost their leaves and since the peach is sprouting new leaves. The cherry is not, and most of the branches are dead. I have been watering and fertilizing reguraly. Should I cut it back for winter?

    9/29/20083:54:31 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sick Tree Treatment, Tree Questions

    It's ok to prune back any of the dead branches, but I wouldn't take off any of the live growth, as the tree is already suffering from a lack of photosynthesis. Mulching around the base of the tree always helps. I would go 4-5 feet to a depth of 3-4 inches. This will reduce competition from grass and weeds, as well as helping to retain moisture. We have a product called Sick Tree Treatment that's a mix of Volcanite, mature compost and greensand that you can apply around the tree to help it recover.

  • We live here in the San Antonio area and have asian jasmine in our front yard. This year it lost some of it's ground cover leaving us with patches. Many of the houses on our street have the same problem. We have tried adding mulch to the areas where it died back and one garden center suggested we use chicken manure which we also tried. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you!

    9/25/200811:08:06 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sick Tree Treatment, Soil Questions

    Asian jasmine is susceptible to several problems; it could be a bacteria that will stunt the plant.  If this is your problem you will find woody galls near the base or on the roots.  Other (fungi) diseases include blossom blight, leaf spot, or sooty mold.  Identify the disease and then you can treat the sickness.  The signs of die back are telling you something else, your plant needs nutrients it is not getting.  Micro-nutrients and compost are the key ingredients to bringing any sick plant back to robust vigor and a lush cover.  Garden-Ville offers a product called sick tree treatment that would be fantastic treatment.  It is composted of lava rock, greensand and compost. 

  • I have a problem with my fruit trees and I really need your help! It started a couple of years ago. After the pedal drop, I noticed that the tips of the branches were dying back, turning brown. The branch near the tip would turn black and if left unchecked, would progress down the tree. I began to cut off the sick portion and it would slow down the progression, but would not go away. This year it has seemed to spread to all my fruit trees and has gotten worse. I have lost one pear tree because of it. I am having to cut more tips and a portion of branches off than ever before. I have been using A Complete Fruit Tree Spray by Binide, but it does not seem to help. Please give me some guidance for I fear I may loose all my fruit trees! Thanks! Roger

    7/22/20083:26:31 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sick Tree Treatment, Tree Questions

    Sounds like a fungal disease, you can either spread corn meal and Sick Tree Treatment around the root zone of the trees or try another organic fungal treatment like GP's Garlic Fungicide. If it is a soil borne fungus there is really nothing you can do. After the trees die off you can remove the contaminated soil and bring in fresh soil. You might want to have an arborist come out and look at the trees.

  • I have a beautiful dogwood tree thats older and the trunk seems to be to be detririating the bark is pulled away and maybe there are insects eating away at it .Is there anything I can do to it to try and save it?It stills blooms beautifully.Thanks

    6/3/20084:50:47 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Neem Oil, Sick Tree Treatment

    Try spraying neem oil on the exposed bark, the neem will kill off any insects in the tree and will protect it. You will need to treat the area until the tree heals itself. Spread Sick Tree Treatment around the root zone of the tree to give it an extra boost of nutrients to start the healing process.

     

  • I have a ranch in northwest Navarro County. I have several big Post Oaks. On one I recently noticed that the trunk had a piece of bark that looked like it had been striped down. Now it appears that the bark on the entire trunk of the tree has separated from the tree. From searching on the web, I found information on the TFS web site that point to hypoxylon canker . At the moment the only symptom is the bark separating from the tree. If it is hypoxylon canker, would it be better to go ahead and cut the tree down now? It is not in an area where it would fall and damage anything. I really hate to loose this tree, it is beautiful and old. Thanks

    2/26/200811:50:14 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sick Tree Treatment, Tree Questions

    Sharon,

    If you want to save the tree you can have an arborist come out and give you a diagnosis on what is wrong with the tree and ways to remedy the problem, if the tree is salvageable the best remedy is to improve the health of the tree and since the fungal problem is within the tree you can apply our Sick Tree Treatment, horticultural corn meal, and our Soil Food Select 6-2-2 around the drip line of the tree and water them in. But I would recommend having someone come out and take a look at the tree first. 

  • We would like tips on planting and caring for roses in Pflugerville. Also, one year almost all of the trees on our side of the street died. Our neighbors across the street are still having a terrible time keeping their newly planted trees alive. What's going on?

    10/30/20071:15:02 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    7-2-2, Sick Tree Treatment

    Angela,

    I am guessing that you are in a newly developed neighborhood, the soil that developers bring in is poor in quality and homeowners really have to try hard to keep their plants alive. For the existing trees I would suggest spreading either Sick Tree Treatment or some type of compost about 2-4" thick around the root zone of the tree. Follow that up with our 7-2-2 fertilizer and water both in with Medina's Soil Activator. As for your roses, I would plant them in a bed with Rose Soil or native soil amended with compost at a rate of 65% compost, 35% topsoil, and either pine flakes or sulfur to lower the ph of the soil. Container plants (either in pots or in raised beds) with pure rose soil will provide the best results since our soil is so alkaline. 

     

  • Amy - I used Scotts weed control on my grass and some mistakenly got too close to a tree and it is killing it. Is there anything I can do to save this new tree?

    7/3/20074:18:43 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    7-2-2, Sick Tree Treatment

    Mark,

    You might want to try our Sick Tree Treatment and our Premium Lawn Fertilizer 7-2-2, spread them around the drip line of the tree and water them in. You should start to see results within a week or so. For future lawn feedings use the Premium Lawn Fertilizer 7-2-2, with it being a slow release organic fertilizer  you will not have to worry about killing any plants as it will benefit all types of grasses, plants, trees, etc.   

  • My husband and I live in Lago Vista. Our live oak trees were blooming when we had that late freeze and now one is struggling to recover while two others appear to be dead. The two that have suffered the most damage were in an area in which we had recently removed several layers of landscape rock which surrounded a large area around the tree. Is there something we can do to help them recover? Thank you, Laurie Hunt

    6/15/20072:29:22 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    7-2-2, Sick Tree Treatment

    Try spreading compost around the area that was covered by rocks. Have you tried to fertilize the trees? If not spread some Premium Lawn Food 7-2-2 around the trees and water it in. Garden-Ville has a product called Sick Tree Treatment that sound like it might be the answer to your problems. The Sick Tree Treatment is a combination of compost, greensand, and lava sand that uses the benefits of the compost along with the iron of the greensand and the paramagnetic qualities of the lava sand to bring the balance of the soil back into line and promotes a healthier soil for the tree to gather nutrients from.

     

  • I have a purple plum that was beautiful at the start of the spring. Now it has lost most of it's leaves. The leaves are very dry when they fall and I know the loss of leaves says the tree is in distress. What do you recommend for the soil to get it back to health? Thank you

    6/15/20072:27:18 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sick Tree Treatment

    You might try spreading Garden-Ville's Sick Tree Treatment and Premium Lawn Food 7-2-2 around the drip line of the tree. If the problem you have turns out to be a soil borne fungal problem you can spread corn meal with the Sick Tree and 7-2-2 and water them in. The corn meal will kill off any fungi in the soil and the compost and fertilizer will condition the soil around the trees.

  • I live in San Antonio and I have a peach tree that appears very sick. I don't know it's age, but I noticed this year that the bark is not smooth - lots of ruts. It is also oozing a lot of sap on all branches and throughout the tree, leaves on various branches are turning brown and dying. I trimmed the dying branches 2 weeks ago and treated the cuts with a tree spray. More leaves / branches are continuing to die and I don't know how to treat the tree to try and save it. Help. Thanks.

    6/5/20073:00:59 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sick Tree Treatment

    Go to your nearest Garden-Ville and pick up a couple of bags of Sick Tree Treatment and a bag of Rocket Fuel. Spread the rocket fuel and the sick tree treatment around the drip line of the tree and water in. Keep the tree watered regularly and re-apply the Rocket Fuel once every other week until you see a change in the tree's appearance. If that does not work you may want to have an arborist come out to look at the tree to determine what exactly is wrong with it.

  • I think I have a problem with my Red tipped Fotinias. The leaves look like there is rust on them and the branches seem to be drying out. I have heard of an illness that affects these shrubs and that it is lethal. Can it affect the other trees nearby (oak) and should I just cut my losses and remove them?

    5/21/200710:37:11 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sick Tree Treatment

    Sounds like you may have Fire Blight, try getting some Sick Tree Treatment and horticultural corn meal and spread around the base and water it in, the disease that the plant has should not harm the oaks nearby. You can pick up these products at any Garden-Ville location in San Antonio area.

  • Our Asian pear trees seem to have a problem. The stems on the fruit are turning black and then it extends onto the fruit itself. We are looking for an organic treatment.

    5/8/200712:28:09 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sick Tree Treatment, Tree Questions

    Sounds like you may have fire blight or some other type of fungus. Try spreading horticultural corn meal along with our sick tree treatment around the drip line of the tree and water it in. You also might want to take a sample of what is going on to your local nursery and see what they say.

  • I had yellow streaks in my st. augustine grass and up one side of my Bradford Pear. I used Medina Soil Activator for my yard and tree. The yard has cleared up (I thought it was chlorosis because of all the rains) but the tree is still very yellow and new leaves do not look like they are going to be the normal darker green. Any advice would be appreciated. Pam - Northeast San Antonio

    5/8/200712:23:55 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    7-2-2, Sick Tree Treatment

    Aside from using the Medina Soil Activator what other amendments have you given the soil for the tree? You might want to try a layer of our Sick Tree Treatment followed by an application of Premium Lawn Food 7-2-2 and our Greensand around the root zone of the tree and water it in using the Medina Soil Activator.  

  • I have two camellias that were planted at the end of summer last year. I live in the Pacific Northwest so they enjoyed a mild winter. They receive some early morning sun but are mostly shaded. They both have added at least 1/2 foot in height and seemed to be doing well until recently when all of the new leaves became crinkley, crunchy and are falling. I have tried diligently watering and even applied organic, all-purpose fertilizer but the new leaves still look the same. The established leaves are still green and healthy and there are new leaf buds all over the plant. Help!

    5/8/200711:06:08 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Sick Tree Treatment

    It sounds like you may have a disease or a fungus, take a picture of the tree and a sample of the leaves to your local nursery or garden center and find out what they tell you. If it is a disease you can try our Sick Tree Treatment and horticultural corn meal around the root zone of the plant and water it in.  

     

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