Need help from tree doc.?
Question:Need help from tree doc.?
theres an oak tree in our field that is over 150 y.o.it has Poison Ivy on it that i cut back ever fall.today i at the lower part of the trunk i found some rot,its about 1/2 " dept. 1' long and 8"wide.can this tree be saved?
Answers:
The only thing you can do is not follow any of the advice so far. You can open the area to let things dry out a little but that's about all. DO NOT try to cover it, this will only hold moisture and promote more rapid decay. Oaks are very tough and the rot you see is probably only the tip of the iceberg and most likely been going on since way before you were born. Being in a field as you described means if it comes down in a storm there will be no property damage. My bet is that it will be a great hollow oak for your great great great grand kids to play in. RScott
Cut this rotten area out to good clean wood, fill in area with concrete.
You can try this--be careful and do not get it on you or breathe it--pour a straight bottle of cygon around the base of the tree and water it in--it is a systemic bug killer, the tree is full of bugs. Old oaks are very often dangerous during storms as they have a tendency to get bug ridden and rotted so huge limbs crack off. You can scrape easily the rotten spot and apply some spray pruning sealer on it--wear gloves as it is a tar like substance--that will seal the owie.
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