Can live oak trees survive after a backhoe cuts their roots?
A contractor dug around my live oaks with a backhoe and cut the roots 3 or 4 feet from the trunks. Some of the roots were as large as 4 inches in diameter. Can I save the trees? D.B., Groesbeck Yes. Use my Sick Tree Treatment, and ask the contractor to pay for the materials you will need. If you act quickly, the trees probably will be growing again by spring. (See my Web site, www.dirtdoctor.com, to obtain free instructions for the Sick Tree Treatment.) I harvested many habanero chiles, which I use to make garlic-pepper spray to repel pests in the garden. Should I pickle, dry or purée the peppers to preserve them for use in next year’s spray? G.N., Carrollton Try all three methods to see which one works best. How can I minimize damage to my trees after the electric company pruned them severely? R.T., San Juan Use my Sick Tree Treatment and hope that the trees weren’t stressed too much by the surgery. To avoid severe pruning by utility companies in the future, hire a certified arbo
