Root fungus and decay

[Redbull]

Here's a couple of pics of a customers Silver Maple. You can see the mower damage on the surface root of the first pic. Second pic was on the tree itself. I found this fungus after removing loose bark so that I could determine the extent of decay. Since these pics were taken, I've peeled even more bark up the tree exposing this same decay as far as 8 feet high and 2 feet wide. Customer doesn't seem to see a problem with all this. Hmmm. Go figure. Thoughts, anyone?

 

[treeseer]

Have you tried a mallet or a probe to assess the extent of the decay? You've got to get below the surface to know what the risk is.

Is that streak running down from the fork? If so, big red flag.

I don't recognize the species, but I think the customer should be concerned.

Potential excavate-sanitize-reduce-invigorate job. If the rot is deep and wide, it may be replacement time.

 

[Redbull]

I used a mallet but it's hard to tell. I'm going to use a drill and bit to see if I can get a better idea of how bad it is. Also, the decay starts about 2' above the fork, through, and all the way down. I can keep a constant eye on this tree because she lives two houses up from me and I mow her lawn. No, I did not do the damage to the roots, this was prior to me getting this account. When you say sanitize, exactly what do you mean? I am interested in doing everything possible to prolong this trees life, but, there is property at risk, and I have recommended removal for this reason. In the 4th pic, to the right of the tree and just out of the frame is the house. This is also the side of the tree that has majority of the decay. I just hope she heeds my advice before she's replaceing her garage and office. Oh yeah, species is Acer saccharinum .

 

[Lawnmowerboy48]

Possibly Armillaria Root Rot?

 

[treeseer]

First comes excavation, removal of dead, loose or rotten tissue so you can see how much support it has.
Then is there an opening in the wound you can shove something into to measure it? What does the other side of the trunk look like?
Look closely for cracks.

 

[Redbull]

The other side looks okay, no cracks or loose bark. The side that I've shown pics of didn't look bad till I started removing bark.

 

[Bodean]

I love the lawn environment and its effects on the trees that we want there.
Silver maples are prone to failure. Green trees fail. Live conducting tissue versus decayed soft tissue versus udecayed hard tissue in crooss section. Percentage of that circle will give your risk factor in percentage. Also estimate the weight of the tree with mass and acceleration and you got your price.

 

[pbtree]

Get a saw and taker down - but then again what do I KnOw?

 

[rebelman]

maple

Thin the crown and expand the mulch area to cover the entire root zone. I wouldn't excavate extensively, as you may breech a boundary as in Shigo(code of defense in trees) But, I'm not a CA, though for sixteen years I have used certified methods. Good luck getting that root zone covered. Don't use spikes, all cuts ANSI standard.

 

[Redbull]

Now, I understand wanting to thin the crown because of weight issues, but can someone explain to me how it is beneficial to inflict more wounds and reomve foliage. Deadwood I can understand. Also, I'm speaking in general terms right now, not specifically for this tree. I think this tree should be slated for removal due to the extent of decay in the fork, it's lean toward the target area, and the value of the target.

 

[pbtree]

Now, I understand wanting to thin the crown because of weight issues, but can someone explain to me how it is beneficial to inflict more wounds and reomve foliage. Deadwood I can understand. Also, I'm speaking in general terms right now, not specifically for this tree. I think this tree should be slated for removal due to the extent of decay in the fork, it's lean toward the target area, and the value of the target.

Amen - that is exactly where I am coming from in this case... If the situation were different, or the decay was not at that fork, or if there were no othre potentially serious repercussions from a structural failure, I might side with a cure - in this case, I would remove it, and ASAP at that...

 

[Redbull]

Unfortunately, convincing the customer that a removal would be money well spent, is easier said than done. I see an insurance claim in her near future.

 

[treeseer]

How much decay is in the fork? If you can shove a tire iron into the fork from a few different angles, that may close the deal.

Pruning wounds are justified if they reduce enough sprawl to take enough strain off the fork to make the tree more stable.