Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | May 02, 2000 08:02am | #14

   *
   I have this 36" fir tree in my yard with a vertical scar. I think it was damaged during the construction of the house. Every year the scar gets longer, about 5' now. Anyway to save it? I think I heard onetime about a plaster patch.

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 21, 2000 06:23pm | #1

   *Dig, you might try asking this question in Fine Gardening also, if you can stand the excitement there.Though people at this site seem to know something about everything.

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 21, 2000 07:51pm | #2

   *dig41,You live in a town that has a forestry section as part of the Public Works Dept? Maybe they could help. Otherwise maybe your county extension service could hook you up with a Certified Arborist who could advise you. Hate to loose a good mature tree.Eric

1. 
   tom_HAGARTY | Apr 21, 2000 08:56pm | #3

   *Probably a strangulated root. Go to a good bookstore for a good tree book for a discussion of this condition.

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   Guest_ | Apr 22, 2000 12:48am | #4

   *How about contacting your state or county extension agent?Arborally, Steve

2. 
   Guest_ | Apr 22, 2000 01:16am | #5

   *I am an International Society of Arboriculture-Certified Arborist with about thirty years experience in the trade.Why do you guess that the crack is from construction? Was there construction done near the tree? A good arborist can do some investigating to see where the damage started. If it is determined that the tree was injured during construction you will be entitled to compensation. If your driveway was cracked by a truck during construction, what would you do? Patch it or have it repaired/replaced? If a root was broken, the wound may be "telegraphing" up the trunk.DO NOT put any type of plaster, paint or patent medicine on tree wounds. In the trade we have not followed that practice for over twenty five years.Carefully cut away any loose bark and the tree will do its best to seal over the wound.If the crack is getting bigger, think of it like a cracked windshield. The crack will continue.I do several construction protection jobs each year. Most of the time this involves talking with my client and the builder to determine how far away from the trees any traffic can be routed. Once that is determined, I set up orange plastic fencing around the trees. Nothing goes inside the fence. I am the only one who can move the fence. I also have the authority to stop the job if activities are taking place that will jeopordizejeopardizeval of the trees. So far, I have never instituted any kind of fine system for infractions inside the tree protection zone. The contractor is made aware that if there is any damage they stand the chance that there will be some kind of compensation.Check out this site for more construction damage information:http://www.extension.umn.edu/Documents/D/K/DK6135IhImlor:http://www.r8web.com/spf/pubs&rspaurces/tech_bulletin/Tech_Bull5%20SideCurb.pdfIF any contractors think that this is nonsense, find out from a Consulting Arborist how much a tree is worth. If you are looking at paying for a tree that died while you were "on watch" valued in the tens of thousands of dollars, would you be paying attention? I hope so!Tom the Tree Guy

3. 
   Guest_ | Apr 23, 2000 04:31am | #6

   *Hey tom i think those cracks on a tree give it character......no pain no gain.......hehehe........

4. 
   Guest_ | Apr 25, 2000 02:22am | #7

   *Tom: The url you gave: http://www.extension.umn.edu/Documents/D/K/DK6135IhIml said the document had been moved or no longer existed. Another link?

5. 
   Guest_ | Apr 25, 2000 02:45am | #8

   *The U of Minn. did some house cleaning and changed the URL, here is the correct one:http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/housingandclothing/DK6135.html

6. 
   Guest_ | Apr 25, 2000 02:49am | #9

   *try asking this question in Fine Gardening also, if you can stand the excitement thereAlthough I know we shouldn't cast aspersions on our fellow Taunton folk, still ROFL! The people who frequent these boards are among the brightest I have ever come across, including on professional lists.

7. 
   Guest_ | Apr 25, 2000 04:58am | #10

   *Well, before the crack gets too bad you might want to whack that tree down and dig up some plans on nice pine projects.Pete

8. 
   Guest_ | Apr 26, 2000 03:07pm | #11

   *...big, long, plank party tables and benches for Petefest '00?Our extension service advises simply paring back the bark and outer layer of wood (cambium layer?...not sure) around the wound until you get to good wood, and good bark, that is firmly adhered to the inner layer of the tree. Use a sharp wood chisel. This will help to prevent small cracks/crevaces that ants and other insects can use for protection when boring holes in search of housing.The clean cut makes it easier for the tree to heal itself. They advise no dressing, medicines, no anything. Just cut the damaged wood back and let the tree do the rest. I don't know enough about trees to guess what the increasing scar length could be due to. Sounds like a nice tree. Good luck with it.

9. 
   Guest_ | May 01, 2000 09:21pm | #12

   *I Dad, now 94, was a great gardener and he usually made a vertical slit up the side of young trees to help prevent what he called girdling. It seemed to work because the slits got huge after a while and they grew like no body's business!

10. 
    Guest_ | May 02, 2000 08:01am | #13

    *My Grandad filled a lightning and ant damaged white pine tree scar with concrete some 30-45 years ago in Northern Ontario. The tree was doing good 11 years ago when i last saw it. Thanks for the reminder of that old tree and the kind of guy that grand dad was.joe d