ASK PROFESSIONAL Welcome to My weekly series! THE Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs CELEBRATING 26 YEARS! Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc. for the last 26 years. She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany, an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects. Dear Linda, These are pictures of my birch tree which seems to be dying branch by branch. There is a green tufted mossy/ grassy growth on some of the branches. The branches with the most growth seem to be doing the worst. What do you advise? Thank you, Kathy Hi Kathy, Unfortunately, you have a Gray Birch tree which only lives about 20 years. It is dying a slow death and there's nothing that can be done about the existing tree. The good news is that you can rejuvenate the tree next spring by cutting the existing trunks (stems) to the ground. New stems will emerge from the stumps to form a new multi-stem tree. The best time to do this is April-June when the sap begins to flow from up from the roots. I would also suggest you add some compost and/or leaf litter around the stumps to introduce extra nutrients. Good Luck. Sprigs & Twigs EMAIL OR MAIL YOUR QUESTIONS TO: info@sprigsandtwigs.net or Linda Lillie, Sprigs & Twigs Inc, PO Box 245, Gales Ferry, CT 06335 SPRICS & TWIGS VOTED THE BEST BY DAY READERS EVERY YEAR! WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET ASK PROFESSIONAL Welcome to My weekly series ! THE Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs CELEBRATING 26 YEARS ! Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs , Inc. for the last 26 years . She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany , an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional , a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects . Dear Linda , These are pictures of my birch tree which seems to be dying branch by branch . There is a green tufted mossy / grassy growth on some of the branches . The branches with the most growth seem to be doing the worst . What do you advise ? Thank you , Kathy Hi Kathy , Unfortunately , you have a Gray Birch tree which only lives about 20 years . It is dying a slow death and there's nothing that can be done about the existing tree . The good news is that you can rejuvenate the tree next spring by cutting the existing trunks ( stems ) to the ground . New stems will emerge from the stumps to form a new multi - stem tree . The best time to do this is April - June when the sap begins to flow from up from the roots . I would also suggest you add some compost and / or leaf litter around the stumps to introduce extra nutrients . Good Luck . Sprigs & Twigs EMAIL OR MAIL YOUR QUESTIONS TO : info@sprigsandtwigs.net or Linda Lillie , Sprigs & Twigs Inc , PO Box 245 , Gales Ferry , CT 06335 SPRICS & TWIGS VOTED THE BEST BY DAY READERS EVERY YEAR ! WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET