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Are you disappointed that your Crape Myrtle, Rose of Sharon, Bottlebrush, or fruit tree isn’t blooming when you think it should? When we buy and plant a flowering plant, we expect it to bloom. So why doesn’t it? There are several reasons that may keep a tree or shrub from blooming. Not enough sun Plants […]

One is a popular shade tree, the other, a destructive and invasive weed. Learn to tell the difference. Just use your eyes and nose. Chinese Pistache trees are drought-tolerant, provide shade and produce vibrant orange and red fall colors that last for many weeks. Female trees produce seeds that can sprout and grow into trees. […]

Tree Care presentation Confused about how to care for your trees? This presentation covers the basics of managing water (irrigation), nutrients and fertilizer, mulch, pest management, and pruning.   Presentation

They can work together with a little planning Many homes now have solar collectors. It is great to be able to generate green electricity. And our trees give us cooling shade and clean the air. By choosing the correct size and location for trees, we can get the benefits of solar and trees. When we […]

To rake, or not to rake? Raking and disposing of leaves in your greenwaste can will keep your property neat. But you may want to consider ways to harness the power that slowly decomposing leaves have on the health of soil, plants and wildlife. Is it a good idea to use fallen leaves to give […]

Is this your view from your patio? Are you ready for some privacy? Most people want their backyards to be private places where they relax without feeling that they are on stage. You may be thinking that a tree would provide privacy, but larger shrubs may be a better solution for privacy. Design Tip: Trees […]

Bugs, chewed leaves, dead twigs and more–common plant pests and diseases and what to do about them Plants get pests and diseases. Period. Many of these we may not even notice and aren’t very damaging to the plant. A few are more serious and may require some time and attention to control. And some of […]

Do you want to prune your fruit trees, but are confused about how/when/what to cut? Pruning fruit trees uses the same techniques as pruning shade trees, but modified by the needs of the specific fruit type. We offer fruit tree pruning classes through the Roseville Utility Exploration Center a few times a year. If you […]

Here are a few of the birds you may see in the Roseville area. Keep your eyes out for these colorful neighbors. American Robin This familiar resident can be recognized by a dark gray back, a brick red breast, and dark stripes on a white throat. He eats earthworms, insects, and berries. Robins live in […]

Using clean and sharp tools will make pruning easier and keep your plants healthy Are your pruning shears getting dull? Even the highest quality pruning shears get dull after a while. Test the sharpness by cutting a piece of paper. If you get a nice clean cut from the entire length of the shears, you […]

Crape Myrtle trees don’t need a lot of pruning A frequent question we get is “How do I prune my Crape Myrtle tree?”.  Most Crape Myrtle trees do not need much pruning, but you may want to improve their form by judicious pruning. When should you prune your Crape Myrtle? When should you prune? Winter […]

Have you noticed skeletonized leaves on your tree or shrub? The Redhumped Caterpillar is the culprit. It is seen on Eastern and Western Redbud trees, which seem to be their favorite food. But they will also eat Willow, Cottonwood, Liquidambar, Cherry and Plum trees, as well as other deciduous trees and shrubs. These caterpillars eat […]

With days over 100 degrees, trees and plants are struggling to cope. You’ve spent a lot of time and money installing and maintaining your landscape. You don’t want your trees and other plants to be damaged by heat spells. What can you do to help? Trees and plants can be damaged by excessive heat and […]

It’s hot summertime and your trees have brown foliage on them. Is it time to panic, fertilize, spray for bugs, or water for three days straight? In some cases brown foliage is normal in the summer, but in other cases it is a sign of serious problems. The descriptions below should help you evaluate your […]

People always tell me that pruning is so difficult to understand. In this short video, we explain where to make pruning cuts that will get the results that you intend. Transcript: Here are three techniques for pruning. Transcript: Is pruning confusing to you? Learning how to make the right cut is a vital skill that […]

Basic pruning tools Pruning is much easier when you have the appropriate tools, and fortunately you don’t need a lot to get started. A small number of good tools will cover your basic pruning needs. There is a lot of cheap pruning equipment out there, but it’s worth investing in high-quality tools. They last longer, […]

Clarifying your pruning goals will make you a better pruner and reduce your confusion over what to prune. Often when people look at a tangle of branches, they can’t make sense of the tangle of branches and just start cutting anything. Instead, carefully look at your tree or shrub and figure out what your pruning […]

The tree leaves got washed off in the recent rain and now the tree leaves are turning beautiful colors. Different trees have different colors that show up as the green color of summer fades from the leaves. I never can decide if I like the dark wine colored Japanese Dogwoods, or the orange/reds of the […]

Western Bluebird Did you see that bright blue bird? The eye-catching blue bird is our native Western Bluebird. They are about 7 inches long and are common across much of the west. The adult male is deep blue with a blue throat and a rusty colored chest and the belly is blueish gray. The female […]

Is that a Tulip Tree? You can’t miss the large, tulip-shaped flowers of the Saucer Magnolia blooming on a multi-trunked tree with silver-gray bark. With no leaves, it really shows up in the late winter. The definition of a tree or shrub is fairly elastic, but if it is big enough to sit under I […]

The Flowering Pear tree blooms in Feb-March Cheerful white flowers are blooming now in late winter on the Flowering Pear. This tree is widely planted in our area because it grows fast, has showy flowers and fall color While this tree has many positive attributes, you might want to think twice before planting one. Flowering […]

It’s California Arbor Week in Roseville! California goes big and celebrates an entire Arbor Week. National Arbor Day is celebrated in April, but in our hot region it’s better to do public tree plantings and events in March when the weather is still cool. Arbor Day is a great time to appreciate the gifts that […]

Roseville City Libraries are planning a “Spring Reading Challenge”, which will run March 2 – April 30. They will be highlighting a new activity each week. RUFF’s booklets, “Who Lives Here?” and “What Tree is This?” will be part of the weekly activities. The city staff thinks the booklets are a perfect fit, because they […]

It’s mid-February and already trees are showing that spring is approaching. The pink flowers of the Purple Leaf Plum are a welcome sight with its profuse bloom. The flowers are usually single, meaning that they have one row of petals, and are light to medium pink. The entire tree blooms at one time, making an […]

Most landscape trees benefit from pruning. Good pruning can help trees grow strong and stable, improve health, influence size and shape, and increase longevity and beauty. Recognizing what needs pruning on your tree involves looking at your tree from all sides. Sometimes a tree looks fine from one side and a serious defect shows up […]

My Coast Redwood has brown foliage, does it need more water? While it is true that Coast Redwoods need summer irrigation, in late summer (August or September) they will be showing brown foliage as the tree gets rid of some of the older growth. But a brown redwood could also be a sign that the […]

Helping people choose and grow great trees Trees can add so much to your landscape, if they are good trees planted in the right place. We have helped thousands of families add trees to their landscape and helped them keep their trees vigorous and healthy. The trees are now doing their jobs cooling our homes […]