cracked trunk

[abidingdreams]

I went yesterday to do a bid on a tree that has a crack from the first crotch all the way down to the ground. The wife thinks that if I were to just trim the tree of some horizontal branches that it would help keep the tree up as well as help with snow weight (personally I think this is a terrible idea because from what I gather she is going to expect far to much green be removed and some big limbs.) The husband on the other hand wants it to be removed because it is aimed right at the neighbors house although there is a tree in the way and I don't think there is enough reach for the tree to do any damage. They wanted my opinion on the matter and I told them that I don't currently have enough experience to offer them the advice they need, even though I think I know the right thing for this tree, so I told them I would get the advice of more experts on this site so would you please look over the pictures and tell me your thoughts on it. Thank you in advance for your answers(on picture number five you can see a mushroom and I am under the impression that it is a sign of root rot so it is my opinion that the tree needs to come down because it is a hazard)

 

[greg storms]

give 'em options

I went yesterday to do a bid on a tree that has a crack from the first crotch all the way down to the ground. The wife thinks that if I were to just trim the tree of some horizontal branches that it would help keep the tree up as well as help with snow weight (personally I think this is a terrible idea because from what I gather she is going to expect far to much green be removed and some big limbs.) The husband on the other hand wants it to be removed because it is aimed right at the neighbors house although there is a tree in the way and I don't think there is enough reach for the tree to do any damage. They wanted my opinion on the matter and I told them that I don't currently have enough experience to offer them the advice they need, even though I think I know the right thing for this tree, so I told them I would get the advice of more experts on this site so would you please look over the pictures and tell me your thoughts on it. Thank you in advance for your answersView attachment 316787View attachment 316788View attachment 316789View attachment 316790View attachment 316791(on picture number five you can see a mushroom and I am under the impression that it is a sign of root rot so it is my opinion that the tree needs to come down because it is a hazard)

with exception to the mushroom, I did one worse than that it 1992 & it's beautiful to this day. Option 1 is remove it, make husband happy & plant another. Option 2 is install a few 3/8" cable assemblies with 1" x 18" turnbuckles, pull it together, put 4-6: 1"diameter B7 rods thru the trunk. Then fill the crack with tar & monitor its progress. A slight pruning. I'd love a tree like that on my (rear) property. Take it down n make money once. Fix it, make it safe n pretty n ya got a happy customer that'll have you back on a regular basis. Good Luck!

 

[Limbrat]

No doubt it needs to come down. With that much weight on each side, nothing good will happen from here on out. If I climbed it, I would probably chain the trunks together to keep the old gal from doing a split.

 

[beastmaster]

No doubt it needs to come down. With that much weight on each side, nothing good will happen from here on out. If I climbed it, I would probably chain the trunks together to keep the old gal from doing a split.

I agree, I am not to sure that tree is a good candidate for cabling or bracing with steel rods(bolted together) What amazes me is the tree is still standing. Mushrooms don't always mean decay, but its a good indicator. Try to ID what kind of shrooms they are. This will tell you a lot. Is there rot inside the tree, or is it hollow in there?(hit with mallet or peek inside crank with a flash light) The main deciding factor is the target, the neighbors house. You know you take care of that tree ie, cabling ,bolting , removing weight, etc. and it fails and there is some damage, you can be held libel.
Were not there and there are lots of factors involved, if your not sure, have the tree inspected by some one who does it for a living, a consulting arborist. It would be money well spent.

 

[abidingdreams]

Thank you guys for the advice and I was leaning towards a removal. There is rot at the base inside the crack. As for cabling it there are two things that I would bring up, first, I have never done one but have read a little about it and I don't think I would feel comfortable signing my name to it per say. Second, it already had one, that I think might have been installed a bit on the low side. The cable was installed at about 1/3 of the way up and if I understand correctly it should have been put in at about 2/3 of the way up. The picture doesn't show height but I thought it worth showing that it has been done in the past. Again I don't know enough about cabling to even say if that's the right cable or what not. Anyways thank you guys I think that I will put my advice and bid in for the removal and we shall see if I get it.

 

[Zale]

I would remove it. Whatever they end up doing, tell them to move their hammock to the other side of the yard so its not in the target area.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Good job on the pic's.
Absolutely a removal. Besides, if you did anything other than remove it and it failed, who do you think they will blame? You or the tree?
Jeff :msp_smile:

 

[Goose IBEW]

I just gave an estimate to remove a very similar red oak today, two codominant trunks with a crack and hollow cavity in between. I recommended a removal to the customer.

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[abidingdreams]

Thank you all for your advice. I went and submitted my bid this afternoon. The wife was still very adamant about just having it trimmed even after I said I thought that it should come down. I arrived about five minutes before my potential clients and as I stood at the door waiting for an answer I noticed there was a bid from one of my competitors (it took everything I had in me not to look at it but I am happy to say I gave a fare bid on what I thought the tree was worth) but that gave me opportunity to ask what they had suggested. What they said is that everything on the right should be removed and trim the left side, or just remove it all. I put my bid in for a removal only with no trimming because like a lot of you had said I don't want to be held liable if the tree does fail. Thank you again for the advice and now for the hard part waiting to see if I get it. :biggrin:

 

[Zale]

I would be surprised if you get it. If the wife wants to keep it, the tree will stay.

 

[sgreanbeans]

Then fill the crack with tar & monitor its progress.

Fill it with tar? Really!

 

[futbalfantic]

While I'm no expert in the most loose definition of the term, no one seemed to point out the (rotting, failing, missing [dont know the term] bark on the trunk to the right and spotty on the left trunk


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[miko0618]

you have to SELL the removal to the wife. tell them how much the tree weighs. tell them they are lucky to this point. I scare people into doing the right thing all the time.

 

[jefflovstrom]

I scare people into doing the right thing all the time.

You are an idiot or a moron,, not sure, probably both.
I bet you don't know the left thing from the right thing.
Jeff

 

[KenJax Tree]

You are an idiot or a moron,, not sure, probably both.
I bet you don't know the left thing from the right thing.
Jeff

WOW!! you're back to your old crabby self again:msp_thumbup:

 

[jefflovstrom]

WOW!! you're back to your old self again:msp_thumbup:

I do not have a 'like' button for this post.
Jeff :msp_tongue: