Mature Ash trunk rott.

[corndogg]

OK, another tree in my parents yard. ( I don't live there but they have a lot of trees so I use as a control/experimental that I can moniter regularly) Here is a mature ash that was last trimmed by someone else 4-5 years ago. Looks like they did a good job. One of the best looking ash trees I've seen even though I hate ash trees (suck to trim).

Then I spot this. Bark is all loose and peeling off. Tree looks good otherwise. What can be done?

 

[oldirty]

someone put a drill to that thing?

 

[corndogg]

I didn't notice that when I took the picture, might be a weird shadow. I'm gonna go take another look soon. What would be the correct process for drilling in to check the extent of the rott?

 

[oldirty]

you into the science side of things on that question bud and i wouldnt be able to give you even a slightly accurate answer.

maybe a core drill?

 

[kennertree]

I didn't notice that when I took the picture, might be a weird shadow. I'm gonna go take another look soon. What would be the correct process for drilling in to check the extent of the rott?

Sound with a mallet first. Find the decay and drill in till you find sound wood. Mark the bit when you have sound wood and measure. You will know when you hit sound wood, the color of the shavings will change. You can also feel it. You can also probe with a sharp ice pick.

 

[Urban Forester]

Considering it's an Ash (EAB) could it be an injection site?

 

[corndogg]

No that's just a shadow. Tree has never been drilled or even spiked. Trimmed 6 years ago. No trunk damage from construction. I'm disapointed to see the nicest ash tree around to be rotting out at the trunk. There is no solution obviously but to monitor I would think. What about the maple tree thread? I need input on that one!

 

[lumberjack333]

What I was always told is open wound + ground contact = rot. Pretty much no way to stop that, trees compartmentalize but they never heal... And thats about the worst spot for rot to occur, gives weight in the top of the tree (or wind) a TON of leverage at the base. One day it'll either be a cavity, or the whole thing will go horizontal. I don't see any rhizomorphs (black stringy lookin things) under the bark which would indicate shoestring root rot, look for other fruiting bodies through the season and monitor very closely - ultimate solution ---> :chainsawguy:

 

[treeseer]

old bark soughs off. yes us ehammer but not drill, yet. carefully remove dead stuff, take dirt off the stem, and take another pic.opcorn:

 

[masterarbor]

tracing the bark to remove any moist and decaying bark is recommended. it will get air to it and hopefully help it recover.