To remove water from a flooded garden it is best to divert the water and if necessary, pump out excess water. However, this will not reverse damage caused by...

Soil can be contaminated by masonry, wood, paper, asphalt, paint, fuel, cement, oil, salt, or other materials. Contamination may occur across an entire site,...

 Photo Credit: Raina SheridanLack of moisture in the soil is as harmful as too much water. Low soil moisture can be caused by high temperature, drought, high...

  Many activities in an urban area can change a soil’s physical, chemical, or biological characteristics.   Construction and landscape maintenance are the...

Site clearing and land grading are two construction activities that typically increase soil erosion. These actions change the soil profile and structure,...

Wood and bark chip mulch protects trees and shrubs from lawnmower damage. However, do not make “mulch volcanoes” around tree trunks by applying chips up...

Keith R. Schneider, Mickey E. Parish, and Renée M. Goodrich Botulism is caused by the nerve toxins produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, and can...

Soils with excessive moisture have poor aeration because pore spaces are filled with water. Roots tend to grow near the surface in such soils. With poorly...

To ensure adequate stability and to allow a tree to grow to its potential size, a tree’s root system must have adequate soil volume in which to...

Soil compaction is a major cause of tree decline in urban areas. Compaction occurs when a force, such as feet, vehicles, and even water from some sprinkler...

Soils in urban areas may have a nutrient imbalance. If there are inadequate nutrients, tree growth and development will be affected. Nutrient imbalances are...

Soil fertility should be adjusted prior to planting blueberries, based on the recommendation from a soil test. Once the plants are installed, side-dress at...

pH stands for "potential of Hydrogen" and is a measure of the relationship of hydrogen ions (H+) to hydroxyl ions (OH-). Soil pH is a measure of hydrogen...

Heavy soils are those that contain more clay particles relative to sand and silt components. The high clay content causes the soils to be less friable,...