nostalgic maple at a church

[darkstar]

a preacher / client of mine has been asking for months about a old very decayed maple in the church parking lot ... ive reccomended[[[[ just dead wooding]]]]..... in my opinion /this tree is beyond help ....almost [[all]] of the branches are severly decayed ////and it has been hacked in the past . topped ..///////but also,,, the tree shows much new green growth alot of ssuckers and such it looks like a nice big gree bush [[[ you know the kind ]]]]] bottom side of each limb is decayed top side has growth ... the tree IMOP is on its last leg no matter what ..... the minister has asked me what can we do to just make it live longer ...it has nostalgic value for the church ... please do not respond with the cut it and replace it idea ... they want this tree as long as it will live ...how should i help the tree //// the church :angel: .......dark

 

[clearance]

Of course I would respond with "cut it down now for feks sake" but I got kicked out of the homeowner help dept. for this attitude. Here goes, if prayers don't help leave it alone, when it dies and kills someone ACT OF GOD.

 

[darkstar]

well its in the middle of the lot no one parks their cars there .... what can i do to help it live a liitle longer ??? ??????????? anything ?

 

[darkstar]

well we have been hired to dead wood the tree and apply fertilization ...im am using doggets .... low nitrogen ... ive also reccomended they rope off the area around the tree losin up the soil in the drip line and very lightly mulch it after scraping back old gravel ... they like the idea and now when the tree dies the congreation will be use to not parking in this spot and we will install a new tree ... great news would appreciate any comments .......dark

 

[ray benson]

The preacher needs to have the sunday school children collect seeds from the tree and start them in cups. Then replant around the church grounds so if and when the mature tree is removed - you will have it's offspring.

 

[treeseer]

HOwd this get o nthe nursery forum?

can you post pictures?

is there decay at the base?

 

[darkstar]

no decay at base ... sorry i posted in wrong forum ... tree is really sold except almost all the limbs have rot here or there and several holes where the crown branches out ... imaging a maple that has sever root compaction for 10 years and now its slowly making a comeback ..... plus looks like is has been struck by lighting and not to mention some freak hacking .... ill post some photos when we do the work ...

 

[treeseer]

When you climb it, measure the rotted areas to see the % that's holding wood. Where you cut the ends off show us what it looks like; codit lines and all.

If you're hired to cut just dead wood, what do you do when you find a green branch that's 99% hollow?

 

[darkstar]

in this case i have to cut no green limbs at all no matter how decayed ... customers request ..... only dead tips etc... dark