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| Big oak tree with a sick sibling. https://www.dirtdoctor.com/efl/dirtDoctor/big-oak-tree-with-a-sick-sibling-t2498.html |
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| Author: | PGGroves [ Sun Dec 14, 2003 12:39 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Big oak tree with a sick sibling. |
Hi Everybody, I have an oak tree on my property that is huge and old. Circumference at the base is 134". Height is approx. 50'. The drip line of this tree is about 80-90 feet across at the widest. In 1996 about 20' of the top of this tree was damaged due to a tornado that bounced right over the top of our property. Several limbs in the range of 8" - 16" diameter had to be trimmed due to injury sustained during the high winds. Two of the larger ones were removed from the main trunk. I'm no expert, but the tree looks and seems healthy now and actually fruited this year for the first time since the injuries. A question I would like to submit would be trimming some of the lower branches that are actually within 6-12 inches of the turf. Should I trim these to keep them from contacting the turf? Another concern stems from a different tree on the property . I have another oak (30" or so at the base) that is severely infected with mistletoe about 200 yards away from the big oak. I have been using the sick tree treatment for the last 18 months but I only see improvement in the blooms and quantity of the mistletoe. The foliage on the oak seemed to be healthy this season, but the mistletoe is stronger this year than ever before. In another post, I read that excising the mistletoe and cleansing with peroxide will give the tree a chance. That will be quite a bit of cutting and I want to confirm that this would be the trees last chance before I consider removal. Removal will be my very last resort, but I just want to be certain to do everything I can to protect and prevent any chance of infection in the big oak. Any advice will certainly be appreciated. The big oak tree has been here quite a long time and I don't want anything to happen to it on my watch! Thanks in advance. |
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| Author: | The Ent [ Mon Dec 15, 2003 8:05 am ] |
| Post subject: | |
On the first tree, sounds like he's doing fine. I wouldn't trim those lower branches for an reason other than they block a path you need to tread. Low branches are fine, and the tree knows how to grow itself. Besides, after losing all that upper growth to that close shave with the twister (wow!!!) I am certain he'd like to not lose any more for a long time. On the second tree, cut and clean is all there really is left to try, after which maintian the sick treatment in the spring. Also see if you can figure out why the tree is so stressed. Mistletoe doesn't show up by chance. It shows up in force only if a tree is already in a bad way for some reason and cannot fight off the infestation on its own. |
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