Those metal bands, also known as baffles, strapped around trees are not holding the tree together, but they do have a purpose ...

DEAR JOAN: We have a lovely Japanese maple tree in our front yard. I noticed the other day a squirrel was tearing away the outer bark on the tree. When I went outside to further inspect, there are ...

DEAR JOAN: Your column on May 13 was on how to discourage rats. Now do squirrels. The furry little tree rats have decimated our apricot crop – the ground is littered with tiny, half-eaten fruits. They ...

If you have ever seen aluminum bands, hardware cloth or some other type of metal wrapping the trunk of a tree, you might have wondered about its purpose. It’s not to help the trunk grow straight, nor ...