Malicious Oak Poisoning

[Essex arborist]

Client has a mature oak 2metres stem diameter measured at shoulder height, approximately 10-15metres in height.

 

Tree suffered mysterious poisoning last year which has killed some of the foliage. Now been attacked again with tree and surrounding grass dying.

 

Client keen to save the tree but no idea of what chemical has been used.

 

Can only presume its a systemic contact spray like glyphosate.

 

Bearing in mind the age of the tree and two attacks over two seasons is there any way of saving the tree?

[ArthurBottlesworth]

My father in law was chemist ( can't spell pharmacist)

He drilled holes in roots and poured summat really toxic in to kill a tree

Unforunately wrong tree

Might be worth checking any exposed roots, or looking for signs of shallow digging

That must be criminal offence

[geoff]

Get a good fence round it, try to find out the culprit & warn them off. Despicable behaviour. you could pop some flyers into the local houses explaining what has happened, asking the residents to keep an eye out & offering a reward for info, I bet the perp moaned about the tree before taking this action.

[peatff]

Get a good fence round it, try to find out the culprit & warn them off. Despicable behaviour. you could pop some flyers into the local houses explaining what has happened, asking the residents to keep an eye out & offering a reward for info, I bet the perp moaned about the tree before taking this action.

 

It's Arthur's father in law, he just admitted it in the earlier post

 

Sorry, couldn't resist that opportunity

[Essex arborist]

Biggest problem is proving unless you catch them red handed. As to fences doesn't really help because they can use the kids water guns to fire chemical over the tree from some distance and hard to catch them.

 

My clients main concern right now is trying to save the tree, I've given it some thought and think with the second attack and the age of the tree it's just a question of time before it dies off completely - great shame!

[Tim Stobart Tree Surgery]

To joe blogs on the street, the simplest way of doing it is to spread a load of rock salt over the area of the roots. that'll kill the grass as well. I'd report it to the council tree officer (ensure your customer/tree owner does this not you), and ask them to tpo it and investigate.

[Essex arborist]

To joe blogs on the street, the simplest way of doing it is to spread a load of rock salt over the area of the roots. that'll kill the grass as well. I'd report it to the council tree officer (ensure your customer/tree owner does this not you), and ask them to tpo it and investigate.

 

unfortunately, you can't TPO a tree that's clearly dying but worth mentioning to tree officer for sure.

[Steve Lomas]

If you consider which property is most affected by the tree causing shade or blocking views then you'll have a possible suspect.

Unfortunately difficult to prove though.

 

If the tree is covered by TPO or in conservation area the council would investigate.

 

Does your client genuinely want to keep the tree..?

[Essex arborist]

If you consider which property is most affected by the tree causing shade or blocking views then you'll have a possible suspect.

Unfortunately difficult to prove though.

 

If the tree is covered by TPO or in conservation area the council would investigate.

 

Does your client genuinely want to keep the tree..?

 

Good point Steve, I'm being lead to believe he does but could be a smoke screen difficult to tell. He has also said culprits have drilled the stem base/roots and applied paraffin.

[edwood]

Could you not try and wash out whatever chemical has been out down then give it a good mulching? When I was in collage their was a yew that was looking pretty ropey, we watered it with sugar water then mulched and it came back well. From what I remember the thinking behind the sugar water was kind of like an energy kick for the tree.

 

 

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