“The larger the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of wonder.” — Ralph W. Sockman “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” — William Butler Yeats. “You learn ...

Q. We have a large sycamore tree in our yard. Every summer it sheds its bark over a few weeks’ time. I think as it grows it is growing new bark and losing the old bark. Am I correct? – J.C., Walton, ...

Once leaves drop from trees, splitting, peeling, bleached or oozing bark may become more noticeable. The cause can range from normal bark development to environmental causes or disease. If tree bark ...

Q: My mature loquat tree trunk is peeling and it is slowly creeping up into the branches. We had a wonderful crop of fruit from it this year so it did not affect the fruit, but I am fearful that it ...

Q: We just noticed that our pine tree has a lot of loose bark. I guess we’re not very observant because it looks like it’s been going on for some time. Is this due to the drought? We have not been ...

It’s easy to understand why some refer to winter as “stick season.” Snow cover, gray skies, and cold temperatures could lead to agreement that there is nothing but sticks to look at in the garden. But ...

Q: I have a big mesquite tree that we planted in our front yard about 30 years ago and it has looked good except for the mistletoe, which we trim off every year. Now the bark is peeling off. Do you ...

The photo is of a sycamore tree at Red-tail’s McVey Memorial Forest. A walk in the woods this time of year is different. It’s quiet and monochromatic. Other than the crunch of your shoes on frozen ...

Question for Dan Gill: Some of the crape myrtles in my yard have started to lose their bark on the trunk. Is this something to be concerned about? If so, what should we do to clear this up? -- Joe ...

The most common causes of death for newly planted trees are drowning and planting too deep, but the third most common hazard is bark borer beetles and their larvae, borer worms. These three problems ...

With bright colors and interesting shapes, unusual tree and shrub bark can add visual interest to winter landscapes. Many types of bark become more distinctive and sought after during winter months.