Question From: M. Szymkowski - Powhatan, Virginia, United States
Q: I have a wild dogwood tree that I would like to take care of. This wild dogwood I'm guessing is around 10-15 years old. We just cut out some black oaks that were growing within 2ft of it. It still has 3 large long needle pines about 5-6ft away from it's trunk. I was wondering if I should mulch it, or fertilize it? The soil is also highly acidic from the all the pines, so would it need some lime to help it stay healthy? Thank you
A: Megan, You need an onsite inspection from a certified arborist to advise you on how to save this tree. Fertilizing and adding chemicals such as lime without a soil test can do more harm than good. Mulch to a depth of three inches with a good organic mulch such as wood chips - nothing painted red, brown or black is always a good idea. Best And Happy Yardening, Nancy
