Interestingly, fig trees are one of the exceptions to the fruit cross-pollination rule, as Amanda wrote last summer: they self-pollinate, with the aid of a single species of wasp.

A: Apple trees commonly produce shoots where the trunk emerges from ground level, often termed crown suckers. If allowed to ...

I have a young apple tree that is starting to lean. ... Using wire or rope attached to the stake, thread it through a 2- to 3-foot section of garden hose and around the tree and back to the stake.

Historically, orchards held 600-700 apple trees an acre, but most are now under high-producing dwarf trees, which are more compact. Growers now plant 1,200-1,500 trees per acre.

Answer: The Agricultural Experiment Station, near the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, was created in 1887 with the goal of developing apple trees that could survive our cold, harsh climate.