# Oak tree



## no1plantman (Apr 29, 2006)

Hey Guys and Gals,
I'm new here to your site and have a question that I cannot seem to find the answer to.
I just completed a fairly large design/build project that required 125 live oaks. Now, 6 months later, the bark is starting to turn black. It is on at least half of the trees. The discoloration starts at the base of the trunk and goes about halfway up. The bark actually starts to split and peel back in the discolored area.
Any guesses?


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## kennertree (Apr 29, 2006)

Post some pics.


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## Zac (Apr 29, 2006)

Are these newly planted trees?, or were they there before your design/build project. The trees may be dying. Oaks don't like their roots tampered with. i.e. cutting or ground compaction from construction.


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## no1plantman (Apr 29, 2006)

Trees were B&B, I will get some pics this week.


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## olive123 (May 3, 2006)

ive run into a lot of this over the years...as a matter of fact I have it now. I am 
the PCO for a city down in s.fla. Got LOTS of this in a park about 18 months old.
cracking bark, lots of sucker growth both on trunk and branches, and black stuff 
coming out from the cracks in the bark (the latter is the most severe trees)
They are burying these trees WAY too deep and im convinced that its some kind of fungus, root rot etc. The top of the ball is at best 6 inches below the soil (they actually think that its good because the tree doesnt fall over) and then add another 3-6 inches of mulch on that! Its hard to get feedback on oak without running to the oak wilt.


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## olive123 (May 3, 2006)

try this
http://www.enn.com/mgg/disease/Phytophthora root rot.pdf


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## treeseer (May 4, 2006)

olive123 said:


> The top of the ball is at best 6 inches below the soil (they actually think that its good because the tree doesnt fall over) and then add another 3-6 inches of mulch on that! Its hard to get feedback on oak without running to the oak wilt.



Nice paper by bartlett labs; still true 7 years later.

Idiots bury trees all over, and they get away with it because inspectors don't want to get their hands dirty. Towns have the right to hold back CO's until it's all up to code, but they don't want to bother the bulldozer boys who are building the tax base.

If your code does not cite ANSI compliance on planting it should. See Planting in the link below for info.


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## olive123 (May 4, 2006)

yeah we were discussing today how our supervisors pass these jobs. The state hires the contractors and the city takes over after a year. There is a walk through and the trees are already showing signs what with the cracking bark and staining, loss of leaves. My supervisor is no dummy but I cant understand how these things get past him. Our city needs a horticulture inspectoe I guess...


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## treeseer (May 4, 2006)

olive123 said:


> Our city needs a horticulture inspectoe I guess...


More staff is indeed one solution, the one most often proposed by bureaucrats. I'd first suggest that your supervisor spend $18. for the ANSI Standards and the BMP's on tree planting and someone (maybe the contractor!:monkey: ) get their hands dirty and show that they did it right. It's all about Finding the Flare.


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## olive123 (May 4, 2006)

in a perfect world...


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## treeseer (May 4, 2006)

olive123 said:


> in a perfect world...


It's really pretty simple, even in this imperfect world. For a project to be approved for use or occupancy, an inspection must take place. If the inspector opts to do his/her job, the contractor must demonstrate that the work is up to code.

Any code worth its ink will have language specifying proper practices, and a worthwhile inspector will enforce those standards. If the inspector does not want to get dirty hands, and wants not to make waves, the paper is rubberstamped and crap is foisted on the public.

Which does your supervisor do? S/he may not be a dummy, but if dying crap trees are being paid for by and foisted upon the public, s/he is an incompetent menace.

Or am I missing something? 
:monkey:


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## olive123 (May 5, 2006)

city work :bang:


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## treeseer (May 5, 2006)

olive123 said:


> city work :bang:



Cliche' alibi. :censored: 

It only takes one citizen with eyes open and a little knowledge to make life very difficult for slack city workers.


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