Gardening season is underway, and you may have questions. To ask one, simply go to the OSU Extension website , type it in and include the county where you live. A photo is very helpful.

Q: Our oak tree is about 70 feet tall. This spring, it developed dried-out bunches of leaves starting at the ends of the branches. It’s rapidly getting worse, with more branches looking like they’re dying. What’s going on? Can it be stopped? I’m noticing many oaks have this issue.

A: Oregon State University and the Oregon Department of Forestry have received many inquiries this year about branch flagging — or branch dieback — in Oregon white oak trees.

This issue involves a relationship between Oregon white oaks, oak twig gall wasps (Bassettia ligni) and western gray squirrels (Sciurus griseus).

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