Q: Why are the trunks of my crape myrtles turning black? They look rather unsightly. Mine aren't the only ones doing this -- many in our neighborhood look the same. Is it a disease? Is it going to ...

WASHINGTON — Crape Myrtle trees are found all over the DMV. They boast beautiful blooms and are a staple of many landscapes. But little white critters, called bark scale, are threatening the trees.

Q: What is this weed that has invaded part of my yard? What can I do to eliminate it? It is very aggressive. A: This is one of the types of nutsedge. They tend to thrive in wetter parts of our lawns ...

Dear Neil: How can I find someone qualified to tell me if a very large tree needs to be taken down? I’ve gotten conflicting comments. You need a Certified Arborist. He or she will be a member of the ...

Question: Several crape myrtles in our yard are shedding lots of bark. Is this normal? Answer: Not only are crape myrtles with shedding bark normal — but beautiful. Often under the outer layer of old ...

Dear Neil: I am battling Asian bark scale on a crape myrtle and have been using horticultural oil spray that is labeled for scale insects. After six consecutive daily sprayings I’m not seeing visible ...

Not long ago, I received the following email: “I have two crape myrtle trees in my front yard, one about 25 years old and one about 10 years old. They are in full sun. They usually bloom later than ...

Crape myrtle blooms on new growth, so the best time to cut back these trees is in late winter, before new growth has sprouted ...