Red Maple decay

[JD3000]

Didnt remove but a couple tangential ones, quite small.
Back filled with a no- limestone -containing pea gravel with bottom of wound exposed. Mature compost and some of blasted top soil and old OM were raked back around the base of the tree.

More close ups for you. Small and fibrous roots were emerging from endges of damaged areas.

 

[pcarborist]

JD it looks like you performed a RCX and there's not much there.

 

[JD3000]

Wanted to see how far down the decay went below ground level. It wasnt much further down and no sgrs were found. Backfilled with gravel to let it breath, added about 400 sq ft of new mulch bed to improve soil conditions around the tree. Plus, Guy asked quite politely to see more of the decayed area below grade.

Other 3 trees on the site were a bigger priority due to deep planting and over mulching. Lots of sgrs and root pruning on those 3 dudes.

 

[guymayor]

That's me, Mr. Politely!

Thanks for showing the beautiful root growth that nourishes the woundwood.
Backfill sounds good. When you see the tree next, that wound will be closing, and you will feel good!

 

[JD3000]

Update from this week...

But look closer at the basal wound

 

[KTSmith]

Looks like Guy made the right call....again!

The bottom photo catches the imperfect (asexual) stage of that xylariaceous thing. Looks like brittle cinder except the later is usually more spreading. Whichever one it is, it is there!

 

[JD3000]

Yes, woundwood reaction looks great though seeing those dudes on the old wood is disconcerting. Tree looks good but will have to be monitored

 

[guymayor]

2.5 seasons was plenty to occlude--nice! Good vigor!!
Brittle cinder is not nice though...Time for soil replacement imo.
Maybe install mesh across the inside to speed closure? Might make a difference, might not...

 

[southsoundtree]

Do you have any references about mesh-ing over a cavity, to speed closure? Does it somewhat reduce rams-horning, or just move it more to the middle of the opening?

Does rams-horning add strength through a somewhat circular/ strong shape being added?

 

[guymayor]

Only images. Reduce. Yes. This is in The Summer Garden in St. Petersburg. I suspect the rapid spreading is associated with abrasion.

 

[JD3000]

Makes sense, makes the growth in that direction for the most part

 

[evo]

Does rams-horning add strength through a somewhat circular/ strong shape being added?

Yes, ram horns are scary strong wood. But they do tend to crack

 

[guymayor]

Not sure that tendency is at all strong; how many rams horn failures have you seen over the years?

The trouble with this 'defect' is that we all have Shigo's words and images burned into our brains, creating an impression that may be way out of scale with the reality. In Shigo's words, this impression would be termed a myth.