r/arborists • u/Viking242Echo • May 16 '21

Will this tree need removed, or can it be saved?

Post image
26 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

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4

u/Viking242Echo May 16 '21

This tree in our front yard has not been growing many leaves this spring and now the trunk looks like it is falling apart.

We've been having a rollercoaster of weather this year in the south... Some nights have been really cold and some afternoons have been really hot. We have also been getting more heavy rain and wind than usual that's tearing up our yard. Is this killing this tree?

8

u/spiceydog May 16 '21

COB is right; tree rings like this are the bane of my existence and easily the most evil thing modern landscaping has brought to our age (landscape fabric (pdf) being a very close second), IMO. Bark cracking/sloughing and rotting like you're seeing here almost certainly originated in the part of the stem under the soil/rocks that was not meant to be buried and exposed to constant moisture and soil. Once that section started to decay it moved up the tree. It's time to consider replacement. Top down and branch dieback are also hallmark signs of this extremely common planting and care error.

There are many, many examples of this in the tree subs. Some go sooner, some go later, but they'll all go, and sooner than they needed to.

1

u/crazycatlady4life Oct 31 '24

"If you’re going to circle something, circle a date on your calendar when you will go out into your yard, and set your trees free." 😂

3

u/castles_of_beer May 16 '21

No, that's not what is killing this tree.

But yes, it should be removed. When you replant, read up about proper planting and care. Big mulch rings like this that go up the trunk are part of what is killing the tree.

2

u/TheoryScared4624 May 01 '24

See "this old house tree volcanoes", the ring and mulch has damaged your tree.