Garden Doctors: How to tell if your oak tree is healthy

Steve H. of Santa Rosa asks: If I wanted to assess the overall health of my large oak tree, what are some things I should look for?

When you inspect your tree regularly, you can catch any changes in the tree’s health from a disease, insect, or environmental issue before it’s too late to do anything for the tree. Ideally, mature trees should be inspected at least once a year, if not twice a year, to look for these four things: new leaf or bud formation, leaf size, twig growth and crown dieback, which is a gradual death of the upper part of the tree.

A reduction in the tree’s growth is a pretty good indicator that the tree’s health is compromised. An experienced arborist can look at the twig growth from past years to check if there truly is a reduction in the tree’s normal growth pattern.

Other signs that could also indicate poor tree health are trunk decay, crown dieback, or both.

These symptoms often indicate problems that started several years ago. Loose bark, deformed growths and mushrooms or other fungus are a few of the more common signs of decay.

Any other findings during these inspections, such as insect activity, spotted, deformed, discolored, or dead leaves and twigs, should be noted and watched closely.

Contact a local ISA-certified arborist or other tree care professional for advice on treatment options.

Jessica Y. of Healdsburg asks: What is the difference between hardneck and softneck garlic?

The softnecks are the type you usually find for sale in the grocery store. They grow well in mild winter zones because they are not particularly cold-hardy. Softneck garlic have a stronger flavor than the hardneck types. Their leaves are easy to work with if you like to braid the bulbs for storing.

The hardneck garlic varieties grow well in cold climate areas. This type of garlic has a central stem that is firm and stiff, and the garlic cloves grow in a single ring around that stem. Hardnecks have a scape or stem that grows and curls into a coil at the top of the stalk as it matures. The scapes are edible and delicious.

There are many different varieties of both types of garlic to choose from. Grow a few of each and enjoy!

Dana Lozano and Gwen Kilchherr are garden consultants. Send your gardening questions to The Garden Doctors, at pdgardendoctor@gmail.com. The Garden Doctors can answer questions only through their column, which appears twice a month in the newspaper and online at pressdemocrat.com.