How would you manage this Veteran

[agg221]

On the subject of trees at risk of being a target for dogs, I have a thought. I wonder what would happen if you stuck a bucket of fine charcoal (biochar) down at the base on the relevant side. This is based on the fact that charcoal absorbs a lot, in fact one way of activating it for biological use is to add urine. It would need a very long term trial but could be interesting to see if it has benefits. I can't think of a down side of applying it other than hassle and cost, but the cost could be pretty minimal given the quantities required.

 

Alec

[Gary Prentice]

It wouldn't be any hassle to incorporate in new plantings and, according to the rep who phoned me last week, there's a lot of other benefits being currently investigated and researched.

[Macca]

So I spoke to the tree officer and got the go ahead to mulch the veteran oaks around our town.

 

I remember reading some research from Glynn Percival about the benefits that different wood-chip had in different situations i.e fruit trees have high sugar content which the mulched tree can obtain, willow had healing properties and walnut had allopathic tendencies and was to be avoided as a mulch.

 

Does anyone know what would be the best type of chip to use when mulching a veteran oak tree?

What's the best method for doing so, I saw in David humphries photo he placed cardboard under the mulch I'm guessing this is to suppress the grass, and are the borders secured or just laid on the ground.

 

Thanks for any advice.

[David Humphries]

Some good input from various people on this old thread....

 

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/tree-health-care/2847-mulch-not-mulch.html

 

 

 

 

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[Macca]

Thanks again Mr Humphries that is exactly what I was looking for.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

That would re pollard 2-3 metres up if ALL growth and bud below remains, wicked tree and the kind of work I get up for