Think you know something about trees? You probably do; but there is an excellent chance that what you think you know is wrong! In this book, a Certified Tree Expert with nearly a half century of experience inspecting the trees of tens of thousands of homeowners and addressing concerns about their trees, explains how trees grow. He describes what is good for a tree and what is harmful. He tells how trees grow their best, and more importantly - WHY. The text is simple and logical. It is written for anyone who can read and who knows what a tree is. The book begins by explaining how healthy trees stay healthy; how they defend themselves against diseases and insects and the many problems they routinely face. It emphasizes how they efficiently and effectively deal with adversity - all by themselves. It describes how you damage a tree when, even a well-intentioned person, intervenes, especially when no action at all is needed. Pruning follows; this chapter gives reasons why routine pruning is not needed, except for the sake of safety, but not for the benefit of the trees. Tree diseases and the use of pesticides and herbicides - or rather, the reasons for not using them - comes next. The proper treatment of mature trees is explained, as it is quite different from how we should treat younger trees. Also described are the many pitfalls to avoid when selecting the right tree for your home, those pitfalls can be expensive with long-lasting consequences. Then, what you should do when your trees and shrubs outgrow your landscaping, what your choices are. Interesting chapters you may not expect follow covering: the surprising variety of healthy foods to be plucked fresh from trees, the monetary value of trees and tree damage, why Latin names shouldn't scare you, and how to get involved preserving the trees in your community. The final section is a compendium of common and uncommon questions and answers asked by homeowners over five decades about their trees; it covers nearly everything anyone could ask.If you follow the suggestions in this book, you will know that you are giving your trees their best chance to be healthy and live as long as possible. You will also save hundreds, more likely thousands of dollars in unnecessary and often harmful "tree care".