ALSO: Squirrels (sigh), and the compatibility of grass and trees.

Question: My red maple has a vertical crack that runs down the trunk, with sticky liquid oozing out of it. What is happening?

Master Gardener Barb Rothhaar responds: The liquid is most likely a bacterial discharge. Many trees are able to survive bacterial infections for long periods of time, particularly when they come from a superficial wound. There is really nothing you can do about it. Just try to keep the tree as healthy as possible and observe it carefully. If the tree begins to deteriorate significantly, you'll have to take it down.

Question: How can I get rid of squirrels that are dropping pinecones and stripping the ends of the pine trees in my yard?

Master Gardener Dan Draves responds: As one of our master gardening friends once said. "When you get rid of one squirrel, within minutes there is another one that will move in to take its place. By removing a squirrel from your yard you have created a squirrel vacuum and one is then sucked into the vortex in your yard."

I have trapped them and moved them far away. Sometimes as many as seven in one week. Only to find another one has taken its place by the time I get home. You can shoot them, trap them, have your dog chase them to the neighbors, throw sticks at them or any other nasty thing that comes to mind. Maybe you could ask them to drop the pinecones in the neighbor's yard. But seriously, everything I have tried is only a temporary fix at best. I think we are just stuck with them.

Question: I'd like to plant a few trees in my yard this fall. Do I need to kill the grass in the planting area first?

Master Gardener Len Szymanski responds: When planting trees in the lawn, it is not necessary to kill the grass first. Simply strip off the turf before digging the hole. If the tree is wrapped in burlap, make sure the burlap is peeled away from the trunk. Most soils could be enhanced by adding organic matter such as peat moss. I have sandy soil and use one part peat moss to two or three parts of soil. Organic matter helps to retain soil moisture and nutrients for the root system.

Have a gardening question? We will publish gardening questions sent to or mailed to the Midland Daily News, Ask the Midland County Master Gardener, 124 S. McDonald St., Midland, MI 48640. You can also speak with a Master Gardener at the MSU Extension office between 2 and 5 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. The telephone number is 832-6640.