Q: Everywhere around Northwest Arkansas I see mulch deposited up against the base of trees. As you know, the fungi, bacteria and critters in the mulch will assault the trees' bark and leave them ...

Sometimes, a seemingly gentle nudge can hit the rawest of nerves. And it seems that last week’s gentle diatribe on the constantly perplexing practice of volcano mulching was just that kind of nudge.

I think I’d be hard pressed to find a gardener unaware of mulch, that stuff you put under plants to help keep down weeds and make your landscape beds look more defined. But there’s more to mulch than ...

An investigation into plants suitable for placement under an oak tree is pertinent to shade gardens in general. To be precise, we are talking about a niche microclimate known as dry shade. Nothing is ...