Advice needed

F

fireaxe

Location
DC
A client had a couple of very mature oak trees in their yard. One of which is not doing well due to many years of abuse because it is situated next to a 8k primary. Some of the "pruning" that was done has presumbably caused a downward spiral to begin. We were contracted to prune out the dead which we performed per standard operation. There was one significant dead limb over the primary. When I wrote the job, I informed the client that the power company needed to take care of that one limb due to proximity to the primary. Somehow I got roped into arranging it.

They sent the work crew out to take care of it yesterday. They spiked the heck out of the tree that is not in too good of shape already. That was only the tip of the iceberg - work practices were pretty scary. Who should I talk to? My concern is that the tree seriously goes downhill and we take the heat for it.

Both the power company and the sub-contracted line clearance company are both huge companies. Deplorable work practices!

I had a feeling this was going to be their MO, but I have to follow the law. We could have gotten the limb. If it went south, I would have been in major problems.
 
Check for grade change at the oak's base. Most Quercus species are extremely sensitive to grade change. I'm talking about a road crew bulldozing a bunch of dirt over the tree's drip line and starving its roots of oxygen.

Jomoco
 
No recent grade changes to speak of. I think the house was built in the 40's. Seems like the trees adjusted pretty well after that. Recent history suggests at least 2 incidences of pruning performed with spikes. Kinda a mess of a tree but the homeowner will be stuck with the removal bill and the loss of value. There were other large limbs removed from BOTH of the big oaks in the yard a while ago. Neither is the picture of perfect tree health.
 
Wheres you camera and pics of them spiking? Pics = thousand words when talking to home owners. 20ft away spike mark become hard to see with out trained eye. Pics change that for home owner. Do you have oak wilt in you area? Even over watering can drown root system. Whats changed?
 
There are always mitigating factors to tree decline. Without the whole history it is hard to put a finger on the cause. Do your homework find out if any soil disturbance or compaction or contamination. The problem is not always evident and spiking a tree is not usually a cause of decline unless it was an entrance for a vector. Both trees treated the same and one is in decline there is something wrong besides the poor practice of the line clearance crew. I am assuming that the tree is in the back yard as the crew was a climbing crew not a lift. There could have been a sprinkler or dog invisible fence installed that cut roots ect.
 
I can't discern any other changes. We did take photos for support of whatever becomes of it, if anything. It is a pretty standard, crappy situation for an old tree to grow in. Compacted soil, houses everywhere, "landscaped". The last time I saw a tree in this condition, it turned out to be hypoxylon that did it in. I already worked the naturalizing angle for that corner of his yard. Significant rooting in 3 other yards though. The upper crown is evenly poor, occasional dead branches. I think approximately 40% of the crown is gone. A tree autopsy would be enlightening if that ever comes to pass. That would require quite a few ducks to line up.

Working on the photos. Maybe I can get them up in the next day or so. My staff shot a video that may be enlightening if I can post it (have to pixel out names and that is not my strongest area).
 
I still suspect the tree's problem is underground.

If your client is serious about saving the tree, and is willing to pay?
I'd suggest digging or air spading until you uncover the tree's basal root flare. Then continuing outward radially to uncover the upper roots out to the drip line, then mulching 8-10 inches deep with mulch litter from a healthy oak of the same species.

This type of remedial action has worked very well for me on stressed out oaks that have been transplanted, in decline and dying.

Good luck with your client Fireaxe.

Jomoco
 
What do you estimate the age of the trees? Is the house original or was there a tear down on the lot in the last 10-15 years? Is the tree in the city easement? If it is, its not the homeowner's tree. The D.C. area has gone through periods of drought for many years. Have the trees ever been on irrigation? Have the lots around the trees had any construction activity in recent years? In the end, sometimes old trees die through no fault of our own.
 
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