Tree care

Plant it right, keep it healthy.

Practical tree guides: choosing shade and fast-growing trees, species profiles, roots and your home, diseases and pests, pruning, planting and storm damage.

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55 in-depth guides 13 topics Oct 2026 latest guide

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Best Shade Trees for Your Backyard: Picks for Every Yard Size

Choose a backyard shade tree that fits your space: how to match mature size to your yard, plus large, medium and small tree options and mistakes to avoid.

Shade & Small Yard Trees 4 min read

Trees for Hot, Dry Climates: Drought-Tolerant Choices

Which trees cope with heat and little water? Compare drought-tolerant shade, flowering and evergreen options, plus how to help them establish.

Tough Site Trees 4 min read

Fast-Growing Medium-Sized Trees for Home Landscapes

Compare fast-growing medium-sized trees for home yards, from redbud to river birch, with notes on growth rate, trade-offs, site fit and planting tips.

Fast Growing Trees 4 min read

Crape Myrtle Care: Pruning, Problems and Pros and Cons

Learn how to plant, water, feed and prune crape myrtles, what problems to watch for, and the honest downsides to weigh before adding one to your yard.

Ornamental & Fruit Trees 5 min read

Are Maple Trees Messy? Pros, Cons and Planting Tips

Are maple trees messy? Learn what they drop, how roots behave near a house, which maples are tidier, and how to plant one so it stays manageable.

Maple Trees 4 min read

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Choosing Trees

Shade, small yard, tough site, fast-growing, ornamental and fruit trees.

Shade & Small Yard Trees 6 guides, starting with Best Shade Trees for Your Backyard: Picks for Every Yard Size. 6 guides Tough Site Trees 4 guides, starting with Trees for Hot, Dry Climates: Drought-Tolerant Choices. 4 guides Fast Growing Trees 3 guides, starting with Fast-Growing Medium-Sized Trees for Home Landscapes. 3 guides Ornamental & Fruit Trees 6 guides, starting with Crape Myrtle Care: Pruning, Problems and Pros and Cons. 6 guides

Species Guides

Maples, oaks and tree species profiles.

Maple Trees 3 guides, starting with Are Maple Trees Messy? Pros, Cons and Planting Tips. 3 guides Oak Trees 3 guides, starting with Oak Tree Growing Zones and Spacing Guide. 3 guides Tree Species Profiles 5 guides, starting with Deciduous vs Coniferous Trees: How to Tell the Difference. 5 guides

Roots, Disease & Health

Tree roots and your home, diseases and pests, and diagnosing tree health.

Tree Roots & Your Home 4 guides, starting with Can Tree Roots Damage Your House Foundation?. 4 guides Tree Diseases & Pests 5 guides, starting with Tree Root Rot: Signs, Treatment and Recovery. 5 guides Tree Health Diagnosis 4 guides, starting with Healthy vs Unhealthy Tree: How to Read the Warning Signs. 4 guides

Planting, Pruning & Storm Care

Pruning and upkeep, planting and feeding, storm damage and fallen trees.

Tree Pruning & Upkeep 4 guides, starting with Crown Thinning Explained: When and How to Do It. 4 guides Planting & Feeding Trees 5 guides, starting with Trees to Plant in Winter and the Best Planting Seasons. 5 guides Storm Damage & Fallen Trees 3 guides, starting with What to Do With a Fallen Tree. 3 guides