Old oaks in Mississippi missing bark, HELP.

theXman

theXman

Branched out member
Location
MD, USA
My brother lives on the coast in Mississippi. He called me tonight.

He lives in an area that had many historical houses. The large houses along the waters edge are all gone. Luckily his is about 3 blocks inland and is still there. Many of those houses are his friends and in-laws and the houses are gone.

In the storms demolition of the houses, the huge old live oak and water oaks were damaged. He said they are missing large sections of bark where the houses floated past them. His friends and in-laws are asking for advice. Everything is gone except for the large old trees on their lots, and they would really like to save them. I've seen these trees and most of them are 100 to 300 years old I'd guess.

Anyway, they want to know what they can do to give them a chance. He said they are missing lots of bark and this seems to be the most threatening.

I thought that if they could spray a thin wax on the exposed cambiums, that they could possibly keep some of that tissue alive and keep the trunk from drying out too much. I thought maybe that wax I've seen that sawmills use to coat venneer logs with. But I don't know what it's called or how they could get it.

Anyone have experience with coating huge wounds? Like large lightning strikes and stuff? The chemicals in a tar probably wouldn't be good would it?

Oh, and don't tell me wounds shouldn't be coated, I know that. I'm talking massive bark loss here, not prunning cuts.

I hope I worded things understandibly, I'm really tired (was in Washington state and flew back today, trip back started at 3:30 am and just got home at 8:15pm).

I'd appreciate your help, thanks.
 
I've knocked pieces of bark off and nailed it back, but I don't know if that helped 'cause I never followed up on em. At the very least it would act as a band-aid.
 
yes I've done that too, and it does work if you do it right away. But this bark is long gone.

Anyone have experience with large bark sections missing and using a wax or something?
 
I use shellac; it takes multiple coats whereas a wax may not. Cracking is bad on big wounds, so sealants are smart to experiment with. The key is for the tree to grow new bark, so do all you can for the roots.

Duct tape and vaseline? Maybe so--anything's better than watching a grand tree crack and rot.
 
I've heard vaseline can kill tissue, people learned that with Gypsy moth control.

The flood water was salt, it was the Gulf. But this seems nothing new to these trees, they've made it threw this salt water from past huricanes. It just hasn't been this deep and forceful enough to take the houses away before. I'm sure the salt water wasn't helpful though.

I've found a wax coating on the net that saw-mills use. It's called Anchorseal. It's non-toxic and non-hazardous. They sell it in 5 gallon barrels. It can be sprayed or brushed on. I think this would be the best sealer to try.
www.uccoatings.com I'm going to give that company a call and see if they have any info on live tree application.

I would think Shellac would have some harsh chemicals. Have you tried it before and seen results years later?

Anyone used this Anchorseal or similar product?
 
There was a study done with tree wounds where they covered the area with many layers of saran wrap. They found that the SW kept out the nasties and kept the wounded tissues wet. The tree could then shut down the wounded areas slowly. Without the moisture the damage was much more extensive.

SW comes in rolls used for wrapping shipping goods. Home Depot and other big box stores sell it. Moving companies too. Goop up the edges with silicone maybe for a better seal around the rough thick bark.
 
I have used a product called Lac Balsam. I think it's a silicon based product, but not completely sure because the label is in German, I believe, and my German isn't too strong. Maybe some of the German fellows can help out a bit. Do a google search and you will find some info on it.
 
I talked with the company that makes the anchorseal (spray-on-wax used on logs and lumber). They had some experience with people using it on living trees. There's nothing toxic in it that will hurt living tissue. He said some company in texas uses it all the time on pruning cuts along the highways.

They were a lot of help. They are setting my brother up with a couple of local lumber companies down there that should have the product on site.

I would like to purchase some in the future for lightning struck trees and excavating equipment damaged trees,... and if I ever bump a section of bark off with a log or something.

If the stuff is already designed to keep cut logs and lumber from drying out, and isn't toxic, I think it will be the best choice.

Tom, that was some good info on the saran wrap. Thank you. After talking to my brother, he thinks the bark would be too rough to get a good seal and would take a lot of time. But that was a good suggestion and I'll keep that in mind for small or smooth bark trees.

Thank you all for your in-put,
 
<font class="small">Code:</font><hr /><pre>Lac \Lac\, n. [Per. lak; akin to Skr. l[=a]ksh[=a]: cf. F.
lague, It. &amp; NL. lacca. Cf. Lake a color, Lacquer,
Litmus.]
A resinous substance produced mainly on the banyan tree, but
to some extent on other trees, by the Laccifer lacca
(formerly Coccus lacca), a scale-shaped insect, the female
of which fixes herself on the bark, and exudes from the
margin of her body this resinous substance.
[1913 Webster]

Note: Stick-lac is the substance in its natural state,
incrusting small twigs. When broken off, and the
coloring matter partly removed, the granular residuum
is called seed-lac. When melted, and reduced to a
thin crust, it is called shell-lac or shellac. Lac
is an important ingredient in sealing wax, dyes,
varnishes, and lacquers.
[1913 Webster]</pre><hr />
 
Thanks glens for showing that shellac is a 100% natural (organic?) product. but if anchorseal is thicker and just takes one coat, then it may be superior. then again, shellac may penetrate more, which may be better...

Experimenting, experimenting. the NEWTS--Network of Experimental Wound Treaters and Sealers--will rise again. /forum/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Believe it or not, I've heard of using duct tape and vaseline.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey Masterblaster every time I break out the duct tape and vasiline my wife runs away. /forum/images/graemlins/date.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
every time I break out the duct tape and vasiline my wife runs away. /forum/images/graemlins/date.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

You gotta sneak up on em!
aaf_shifty.gif
 
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