Oak decay

[Dave177]

Hopefully I have attached the pictures right today.

Went to look at this in my aunts garden today and not quite sure how to proceed. Its a fair sized Oak, the Crown looks full and well shaped, its lost a major limb off one side previously and the resulting damage has caused dead tissue around the wound.

In the base of the stem are signs of decay in at least 2 locations and a third spreading up a crack to about 6ft in height. There is also a large bulge also around the 6ft mark.

There were some some fungal brackets at the base but they were removed to "kill" the fungus my my uncle

 

They want to keep the tree but at the same time dont want to risk damaging their property or the road.

Any ideas what I should tell them to do, I was thinking getting someone in to do a detailed assesment to check the extent of decay in the stem or doesnt it look too bad/is it not work the expense?

 

Cheers guys

[RobArb]

The fungus in the first pic looks like what was Inonotus dryadeus (sp.), you may also have Fistulina hepatica in there too.

 

Look them up in the fungi directory here and see what effects they have on the tree (oak). A far as assessment goes it's hard to say anything from those pics alone and if they are really worried you may want to get someone to inspect it in person just for "piece of mind".

 

Looks ok to me though for now.... (said with a pinch of salt:biggrin:)

 

 

 

Sent from my Galaxy S2

[daltontrees]

Here's a suggestion. Get a rubber mallet, one of the big ones used by landscapers to lay slabs. Find a healthy oak tree somewhere, give it a few gentle thumps and try and remember what that sounds like and how the hammer bounces back. Then go to your aunt's and try it on her oak. If it doesn't sound or feel right it isn't right.

Is there any chance that big bulge could be reaction to buckling from Ganoderma?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

nice EXAMPLE OF iNONOTUS FRUIT BODY SCAR AND BODY LANGUAGE OF THE DECAY.

 

this is Atypical form, having left the most highly fluid active cambium channels would need a good inspection but like most will probably be fine with a carefully considered remodeling of crown architecture

[kieran connell]

reduce the weight in the crown! particularly on the side with the decay. pollard it maybe?

[Dave177]

Cheers for the replies, it doesnt have a massive crown anyway but reducing may be an option, Surely pollarding such an old tree with lots of decay allready would be asking for trouble? I have said that I will take another look in the summer to check the foliage etc and possibly work something out then.

[JonnyVine]

Dave

It sounds like you already know what to do, Its quite easy to sift through the conflicting advise if you take your time, a quick look shows us that some are offering advise and some want to baffle your brains with BS, oh and bad grammar.

 

Good luck with the tree

Jonny

[RobRainford]

nice EXAMPLE OF iNONOTUS FRUIT BODY SCAR AND BODY LANGUAGE OF THE DECAY.

 

this is Atypical form, having left the most highly fluid active cambium channels would need a good inspection but like most will probably be fine with a carefully considered remodeling of crown architecture

 

agree with that one. completely typical of what I have learnt to expect from this decay.

 

Dave

It sounds like you already know what to do, Its quite easy to sift through the conflicting advise if you take your time, a quick look shows us that some are offering advise and some want to baffle your brains with BS, oh and bad grammar.

 

Good luck with the tree

Jonny

 

i dont see any BS here, just technically correct information.

 

a pollard is a knee jerk IMO and unnecessary. a reduction to reduce the heavier weight out of the crown to encourage retrenchment and a more optimised tree for its capabilities.

 

I also agree with robarb, there is a good cahcne of F. hepatica in this tree, with the buckle showing on one side, however, it could also be related to the decay at the base.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Dave

It sounds like you already know what to do, Its quite easy to sift through the conflicting advise if you take your time, a quick look shows us that some are offering advise and some want to baffle your brains with BS, oh and bad grammar.

 

Good luck with the tree

Jonny

 

 

your so my new fave member:lol:

[john p]

i may be wrong but i bet a pound that bulge/buckle is a bit of fence/metal

[jamiep]

:thumbup1:Yep

Agree with johnp