Death of an English oak

[Czar]

The boughs to The left of picture 1 and right of picture 2 is a real big concern.

Also the boughs on the right of picture one and the bottom left boughs of picture 3. This one isn't as heavy as the other but it still appears to be a split. As you can see there are cars parking around so I thought better to be safe than sorry. Strapping could work.

[MattyF]

Trees a mess really and proves why formative pruning of young trees is essential! It's going to need constant attention if retained so again I would recommend the bracing and reducing if it's that's the case.

[Marula]

Take it down and start again, that's never going to be a decent tree, it'll have to be reduced to stop it from falling apart and that will only be a temporary solution. There's rot in the main stem by now and there's compression forks all over it. Fell, replant.

 

 

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[5 shires]

Take it down and start again, that's never going to be a decent tree, it'll have to be reduced to stop it from falling apart and that will only be a temporary solution. There's rot in the main stem by now and there's compression forks all over it. Fell, replant.

 

 

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Got to agree with the above comment...as we always do our best to preserve tree's of any type but more importantly good stock and specimens this tree is a lost cause and anything you do will be a temporary fix..if the tree means anything to you it looks like you can get some decent timber out of it to make something worth while keeping.

[sloth]

It really is hard to say anything meaningful without seeing the tree in person, however, for what it's worth...

It looks like bracing would be a waste of time and money, with ongoing costs etc.

Reducing the height and spread would likely help, but probably not a long term financial sensible solution.

Felling and replanting if desired - well it is an option, but that tree is decades old and even a heavy standard sized replacement is going to a long time to look mature or replace the visual impact of the lost tree.

My armchair view would be to pollard the tree, probably to a metre or so above the split. It would remove the risk of the limbs failing, maintain the habitat provided by the split and give a good chance of developing into a hollow bole; although of course by the time the bole is hollow and rotten the tree will have strengthened where it needs to and have grown a new crown. It'd maintain the mature features of the fatter trunk, and it looks like it's in a rural setting so wouldn't look out place either. Of course it would need re-pollarding every few years, but with very little if any climbing involved with such a low pollard, and only fairly small diameter branches, it would be a quick, easy and cheap job (if not one you could do yourself). If you have a fire it would provide some wood too.

What is there to lose by trying? If you decide at a later date you don't like it, then fell it...

[Czar]

8Such a cool tree though.

Edited July 2, 2017 by Czar

[Czar]

If I chop it down I have so much use for the timber

 

Suspect the roots go under the garage. Suppose i could chop it down, stump grind and plant in the same spot? Whats the most mature replacement and would it grow in the same place if a digger tugged out the root ball. Obviously not the taps.

[Czar]

Recently had about 30% thinning. About 6 foot off the field side ( heading for the powerlines) could have done with a cherry picker and 5 foot off the top but the guys do i g the job talked themselves out of it. Presumably because of the powerlines. 10,000v. Its miles lighter around the tree in terms of light but it's still not a happy chappy.

[Czar]

Some of the leaves are still wrknkley and deformed but I have see that on other healthier trees locally this year too.

[Czar]

Love the old oak