tear out wound clean up

[Nish]

Three months ago this 39" dbh Quercus alba lost a co-dominant trunk near its base (see photo). The canopy of the remaining tree is luxuriantly full and green. There's lots of scarred over tissue (included bark?) in the wound, but there's also quite a bit of torn wood at the base. Is there anything helpful to be done to treat or clean up the wound?

On the subject of white oaks, has anyone else been finding evidence of sudden limb drop on these trees in the Southeast? Here in Chapel Hill many small branches are bent downwards with acorns. This week I've clean up three 8"-12" diameter healthy limbs broken off at least a foot above their attachment points. I never would have predicted the failures.

 

[JD3000]

I'm curious myself.
Anyone know about or used Trichoderma products on tree wounds?
Is it too late for this particular tree?

 

[guymayor]

Carefully trim away the Shaggybark and tried to leave a smooth surface that will capture a minimum of debris. Then you have to look at reducing the remainder, to take the strain off this week area.

The reason you would have not predicted the failure of limbs that are too heavy at the ends is that overextended branches, even though they are the leading cause of failure, are not paid enough attention to in risk assessment courses.

 

[Nish]

Thanks Guy for advice on this. I appreciate also the reason given for trimming away the shaggy stuff.

On overextended branches and risk assessment generally I have a lot of questions that I'll post on a new thread as soon as I get some extra indoor time. I don't know when that will be.

 

[guymayor]

ok and btw are you due that Franklin?

 

[Nish]

Guy, you don't owe me a thing. I'm happy we worked together on that Durham job--on several trees since then I've put into action the methods I learned. I tried briefly to follow up on that standards review, but I found that I didn't have anything special to contribute. I was also a bit uncertain about how to effectively submit comments.

 

[guymayor]

Yeah the standards are intentionally incrutable to all but the most fanatical word geeks.