Beech Tree

[newhomelawn]

I recently built a new home here in N.H. I selected some trees to keep in the yard after positioning the home. I selected a beautiful beech tree which was located in my front yard. The tree is approx 75-100' tall. While during excavation it was struck by the excavator. The tree suffered a small laceration. I was not deep and only scraped off the bark. I also believe a few of it's roots were dug up. I have noticed this year that the leaves are yellowish. The leaves are much smaller and the canopy is not as full as the previous year. There are also a few smaller limbs which have appear to die. The other trees I saved appear to be in great condition..The tree had to get approx 8 inches of fill around it so the land would slope right. I was told the tree should do fine by the excavator.

I am looking for suggestions on how to improve the tree and what may be going on. I also see black ants frequently traveling up and down the tree. I cant see an area where the ants would be nesting.

If a pic is needed I can post one....

 

[Adkpk]

Any traffic around your plants is not good. The scrape in the bark is not a big problem. But the damaged roots would be. The tree can repair itself. You have had a lot of rain this year up there and that is a big help. To much water will yellow leaves but I am not sure if this is your case. Do get those pics up. Was this land woods before you built? If so the surface roots right under the leaves probably are missing. Mulch will help that.

 

[Adkpk]

Sorry long day, 8"s of fill, ya treeco. I'll second that. 4 at the most is what I go by. Build a tree well. Get that soil off the roots. Send the pics.

 

[trees4est]

The tree had to get approx 8 inches of fill around it so the land would slope right. I was told the tree should do fine by the excavator.

I really hate hearing that statement, I've heard it many times. It's frustrating. I can't blame people for not knowing better, but I'll tell you-if it's something you care about, your trees or your children, or your house or whatever, get a professional who is a specialist to tell you what is good or bad for that something or someone. You might even get second opinions sometimes.
The eight inches of soil. Yeah, they said it. Big problem. Hopefully not too late to fix it, and even if you make a well, make sure the water can drain from it. The leaves are possibly yellowing more from too much water and lack of drainage as from lack of air. Well, it ends up kind of the same anyway. But good luck, get a tree professional out there to advise you and help.

 

[newhomelawn]

Ill post pics tommorrow...how large does the well need to be??

 

[treeseer]

Ill post pics tommorrow...how large does the well need to be??

Large. How "wrong" will the slope be if it is all removed?
Where did the fill come from? If it's subsoil, all the reason to get it off NOW. Beeches are the last tree species to mess with that way.

If your excavator/tree authority ran his machine all around the tree, its roots have been damaged severely. Never mind the trunk wound, and try to understand what you cannot see.

Pictures will help, but you need an arborist on site. Today.

 

[B-Edwards]

Newhomelawn, I agree with everything said so far ,But at this point i'm not sure that building a tree well isnt wasted time and money. I say this because several years ago i noticed a new home with a similar situation, i stopped by and told the builders to tell the home owner if he wanted to save his tree to call me because it was obvious what was happning. The tree probly had 2 feet of fill on 1 side. When i finaly spoke to the owner he said at most it had 8 inches to a foot, was closer to 5 feet . The problem was he waited to long to do anything but he wanted to try so we remoived the soil and the smell is what i noticed first . In short , the damage was already done .

 

[newhomelawn]

A few pics...

I know the roots on the side with the fill were dug out approximatley 8 feet away from the tree. All the other roots have not been touched. The side where I know the roots were damaged...is the same side where the limbs are dying.

 

[newhomelawn]

A few more pics...

 

[Adkpk]

That tree looks more like 60' to me. No matter. Those white spots look like lichens thats normal. Nasty scare but shouldn't be a problem with the health of the tree. From the picture the tree looks healthy. Have those dead branches removed and in a few years you'll be enjoying the shade under that beach. A tree well is just what you need in that yard. To bad your not closer I do a lot of walls. I would enjoy to dig out a well and construct a nice retaining wall. Plant some impatiens, wal-la. Good luck, your in good shape.

 

[Adkpk]

A few more pics...

Nice house.

 

[newhomelawn]

I was hoping to hear that!. How much price wise would I be looking at to do a tree well?? Is it something I could do myself using manual labor??

 

[Dadatwins]

From the picture the tree looks healthy.

Are we looking at the same tree? Buried root flair with entirely too much dirt on the roots, 1/3 dead canopy and the rest thinning, not a good situation on this tree at all. Get the tree looked at by an arborist ASAP before bothering with the tree well. By the state of the decline already, I suspect the tree will be dead before the permits are filed for the tree well. Sorry for the bad news.

 

[Adkpk]

Using manual labor? It would be hard to do it without using manual labor. OK, sorry for the wise crack. Just joking, something we can get away with around here. I wouldn't say that to your face if I was out on a bid. Oh, heck sure I would if I could think of it in a timely manner. OK, sure you could do it yourself. I wouldn't fuss with it too much . No matter how much you try the roots will eventully be set it ascue but this will be it's character. How much will it cost. Depends on the materials. If you do it from rocks from the woods, just the cost of the labor. A pallet of broken up bluestone or for that matter any pallet of stone you would use to make a wall like that would be, resale, delivered like $250.00. Or you could use Granell man made wall blocks. Elimanating the need to be an artist. Or experienced. I don't know to much about that stuff I haven't used it in a while but it works. Anyway good luck, again. Send a picture if you get done.

 

[Adkpk]

Sorry for the bad news.[/QUOTE]

Don't be sorry, get glad.

Hey, newhomelawn I don't see the problem with planting a new tree in an existing tree well. Not that I agree with dada. Don't give up on your tree. The closup picture of those leaves give me hope that tree will come back next year gangbusters.

 

[trees4est]

Um, yeah- that tree looks pretty bad to me also. The color is way off, the crown is very thin for a beech, dying back already, it looks grim to me. If you even have a chance, you better get on it, get someone good out there, and expect it to not be easy.

 

[treeseer]

the most heroic efforts possible to save that tree may raise its chances from very poor to poor. Your excavator gave you a nice smooth lawn but the lying moron has apparently killed your beech. Your focus now belongs on the rest of your trees--do not wait for them to show signs of damage. It's often too late by that point. "Wait and see" is a policy of death for trees.

"I know the roots on the side with the fill were dug out approximatley 8 feet away from the tree. All the other roots have not been touched."

But have they been crushed by machine activity above them? Has the soil around them had the oxygen squeezed out, so roots cannot grow?

"The side where I know the roots were damaged...is the same side where the limbs are dying."

Yes beeches are ring-porous, so they show that pattern. but it's the damage you cannot see that is important now. See the 2 pages on construction damage in the link below for starters, and if you have neighbors who are building, let them learn from your mistakes.:bang:

 

[diltree]

Tree-Tech

Tree Tech micro-injection systems has an injection that is specially formulated for trees that have sustained Construction Damage. I have used the product in association with pruning as C.D. treatment in the past and have had good results. Your only problem is you have covered all your root flares with backfill, so a well and pruning would be your immediate action. Still I would recommend using the injection; its nutrient based so it would also help supplement certain nutrients the tree has been denied off due to the 8" of backfill eliminating the ever important organic layer and A horizon, where your surface roots are located.



www.dillontree.com

 

[treeseer]

Tree Tech micro-injection systems has an injection that is specially formulated for trees that have sustained Construction Damage. I have used the product in association with pruning as C.D. treatment in the past and have had good results. Still I would recommend using the injection; [/url]

Mr. Dillon, as Festus would say, can those things inject oxygen into the roots?

 

[diltree]

Yes...very true.....there has probly been significant soil compaction around the root system as well, good point treeseer



www.dillontree.com