oak tree split bark at soil level

[travis]

After posting questions questions previously about this tree.

i learned that it was fluxing it's sap and the sap or inner wood or both were fermenting.

the sap seems to have dried up, however, there is now a 5" spilt in the bark right down at the base of the tree- exactly where the sap was welling up from above or below the soil level.

can anybody tell me if a split in the bark is good or bad?

[Arbgirl]

Splits in the bark dont look good..

 

What's the canopy look like?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I would suspect that the bacterial action (cambium) has ceased and now there is a dead (flat spot) behind this bark crack. I wouldnt be unduly concerned as any subsequent issues will be much further down the line in years to come.

 

What I might consider doing (asuming finances arent avaliable for a full assesment) is wait till late spring and then see if occluding ribs of wound wood are coming from the sides of the dysfunctional area.

 

Try if you can to get some photos of the whole tree, and zoom in on the branches and give us a close up just showing the worst side of the stem. Take them early morning preferably with your back to the sun (sun at least 45 degrees off to your rear)

[janey]

It's not a good sign, put it that way.

 

As Hamadryad says, the necrotic, cracked and lifting bark indicates death of the underlying cells. I can remember the bleeding shown in your previous piccies and this tree is definately in decline.

 

Are you being pressured by the tree owners' to do something immediately? Do you have the luxury of trying to improve the soil conditions and waiting until next year to monitor the tree's condition before you undertake pruning / removal?

 

If you haven't already got these on your faves, they are well worth reading. They will explain things far better than me:

 

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/EPAversion3.pdf/$FILE/EPAversion3.pdf

 

Forest Research - Oak decline / dieback - the facts

[travis]

here is a shot of the canopy on the damaged side (West).

[travis]

"Do you have the luxury of trying to improve the soil conditions"

How do i improve the soil conditions ?

[Scottie]

What is underneath the tree, what are the ground conditions like? Are those new build houses and is this the same tree from the other thread?

[janey]

Those Sliky teeth wouldn't have anything to do with mysterious bark wounds, would they, hmmm?

[arnoldbuchsassinger]

The split in the bark looks ominus, however once the picture is shown showing the surrrounding conditions i cant but query whether the tree became victim of construction interference. Does anyone know which came first tree or house, i suspect tree. From provided info, the canopy has shape, and if recent then not obvious signs of crown/canopy dieback, but if construction work has taken place, sometimes the signs/symptons can take 5-10 years to show themselves. Then usually not a lot can be done, due to root interference and damage. Once we have root damage, then the tree becomes suspectible to pathogenic attack through the roots.

[travis]

yes it is the same tree as the other thread.

and yes they are new houses

and yes, there was root damage done by the digger, when the developers dug out the car-park. My neighbour saw this happening.

There were some fungussy mushrooms around the base, i've dug in some manure around the tree. I know i should have photographed the 'shrooms, but i was hoping they were just innocent and growing under the geo membrane thats down.