Trying to save a large Red Maple

[Craigwell]

One of the Red Maple's on my property had one of three leaders dead, or close to it.. no leaves on any of it's branches for a few years now, with some of the thinner limbs drying out and breaking off in storms.

Since this leader was leaning close to my garage, with several larger limbs directly above it (total height of the tree approximately 50'), I decided to take it down just above where the main trunk splits into the separate leaders.

The pic shows how I left the cut, and I'm wondering if there's anything else I should do with it?

 

[ATH]

Finish it and replant.

 

[Craigwell]

Finish it and replant.

Not worth saving? The rest of it seems fine... None of it above my garage anymore ..

This pic shows what's left after I brought the dead leader down.

 

[TedyOH]

Perfect, I'd leave it, could last another 10 - 20 years, could die in 2 years, if it does cut it down then.

 

[Craigwell]

Yes, I won't hesitate if that's the case. It would be easy to fell the rest of it away from the garage, it was only the one leader that was above it.

I would have taken that down even farther, but there are a couple strong healthy looking limbs coming off just below the cut.

I'll watch them and take them next, and the leader down another 4-5 feet if things take a turn for the worse there..

Nothing goes on the fresh cut itself, hey?

 

[TedyOH]

I'd put the black pruning spray on it every year, help keep the black ants out. I've used cement as well on large cuts like that, mostly because I've had an open bag lying around.

 

[ATH]

Well...that is an entirely different view than the first picture! I thought the first picture was closer to the ground. I'd keep the tree given the second pic.

I'd probably keep cutting on that second trunk though - all the way down.

Do not treat the wounds with anything.

 

[Oldman47]

The pruning cuts will not heal over if you use stuff like pruning paint on them. That is why you never should use it when you take out a small branch. With a branch as large as the one you took off I am not sure it will ever heal anyway. A tree can only do so much to heal over an open wound.

 

[ropensaddle]

One of the Red Maple's on my property had one of three leaders dead, or close to it.. no leaves on any of it's branches for a few years now, with some of the thinner limbs drying out and breaking off in storms.

Since this leader was leaning close to my garage, with several larger limbs directly above it (total height of the tree approximately 50'), I decided to take it down just above where the main trunk splits into the separate leaders.

The pic shows how I left the cut, and I'm wondering if there's anything else I should do with it?

View attachment 508386

You should not work off ladders and get rid of that brush and i concur with ath bring the cut on down no pruning paint.

 

[Craigwell]

Thank you, ropensaddle. I appreciate your thoughts.

I used 3 lifts of scaffolding, and was tied off from a higher limb on one of the other leaders right up until I cut the hinge and back cut. At that point I took down the staging, and pulled down the section in question with my truck.

 

[C. J. Hall]

I'd put the black pruning spray on it every year, help keep the black ants out. I've used cement as well on large cuts like that, mostly because I've had an open bag lying around.

The pruning paint allows for beetles to get under it. I would paint the large cuts with Lime/sulfur consentrate every 2-3 years. This is a stinky disease control that will penetrate the wood and act to slow rot. Apply with a sponge brush. Bonsai growers use this to preserve 'jin' indefinitely. (Dead wood)

 

[cedarhollow]

tree looks nice, lots of good advice above.

 

[C. J. Hall]

Thank you, ropensaddle. I appreciate your thoughts.

I used 3 lifts of scaffolding, and was tied off from a higher limb on one of the other leaders right up until I cut the hinge and back cut. At that point I took down the staging, and pulled down the section in question with my truck.

Yes, I meant to mention, nice cuts!

 

[ropensaddle]

The pruning paint allows for beetles to get under it. I would paint the large cuts with Lime/sulfur consentrate every 2-3 years. This is a stinky disease control that will penetrate the wood and act to slow rot. Apply with a sponge brush. Bonsai growers use this to preserve 'jin' indefinitely. (Dead wood)

Hmmm now ya gots me to thinkin fence posts pole barns lol bonsi no I don't have the patience

 

[C. J. Hall]

Hmmm now ya gots me to thinkin fence posts pole barns lol bonsi no I don't have the patience

It turns the wood a drift-wood color after a bit of time looking yellowish. Really works!

 

[Marine5068]

Not worth saving? The rest of it seems fine... None of it above my garage anymore ..

This pic shows what's left after I brought the dead leader down.

Nice drop of that other section by the way. Missed your garage and fence.
They sure are pretty trees those Red Maples and that's a big one.
I agree with Teddy on this one.
Clean up those dead trunk cuts and leave that live section of tree that is there now. If it dies off you can still remove it later.
Looks like it started off all wrong to begin with with two or three main trunks. Not much you can do when they start like that if you weren't there to trim and groom it as it grew.
I had a Sugar Maple to remove once because one of the two shoots was damaged in a wind storm so other (whole tree) had to be removed.