GHENT, N.Y. — Does Deep Woods Off really last eight hours? That was the question I asked myself as insects of various sizes, shapes and stinging proclivities swarmed me last weekend as I finally got ...

Growing your own fruit trees can be extremely rewarding, but it won't like turn out the way you hope when it comes to apple ...

Planting an apple tree is a delightful journey that not only enhances the beauty of your landscape but also provides the joy of homegrown fruit. With the proper care and conditions, an apple tree can ...

This year my apple trees, planted in the 1920s by former resident Sarah Whitehouse, are exploding with blossoms and buzzing with bees. Credit: Courtesy of Carole Soule Sign up for the Concord ...

If you’re a longtime reader of this column, you may remember a few of my previous battles with Mother Nature on the western Kane County home front. I’ve confronted beavers and voles and deer and box ...

Every autumn, I begin to crave generic seasonal comforts: the hues of turning leaves, the chill of sweater weather. I’m not really a pumpkin-spice person, but I’m a sucker for a classic u-pick apple ...

Q: I moved into a home a couple of years ago with an apple tree, and it’s never produced fruit. What can I do to get it to fruit? A: If the yard only has one apple tree, one of my first suspects is ...

Often the snow on the hilly south side of my house has melted by early March, allowing snowdrops to push their little noses out of the ground and permitting me to pick buds that open up indoors. Most ...

Q: I noticed this odd growth on my apple tree. I don’t think it’s causing damage because the canopy looks normal, but I think it’s becoming more extensive so I’m concerned. A: This funky growth is not ...

Q: Can you tell me what is wrong with my crab apple tree, and what I should do about it? The leaves started turning yellow earlier this summer and now there are hardly any leaves left. It looks awful.

Ask a farmer, “When should I prune my apple trees?” and you will most likely hear, “March.” That’s an old tradition — but not because it is the only time to prune. You can prune any time. But March is ...