Willow dying???

[Heart]

This willow was in my parents yard some 30 years ago and beautiful. Dad died and Mom remarried . . . they let the tree fall to boreworm (someone told me) and it is now in sad condition. Mom is in early stages of Alzheimer's Disease and has always been a penny pincher but it way overboard now . . . won't even keep the house in repair unless I force the issue . . . and I'm disabled with little income.

I was told I can't cut the dead branches out because it will kill the tree but I fail to understand that when the branches are already dead . . . so, there is not water access by the tree and no way to spray it down if boreworm is actually what the problem is . . . it is now a matter of cutting off the dead branches to a forks or cutting down the tree.

Photos:

SANY0861.jpg
SANY0862.jpg

Can I lop off the dead branhces or should I let her chop it down?
My inclination is to attempt chopping off the dead branches so they can't fall on someone's head and let God take it from there . . . but don't know how to get rid of boreworm even if I can find someone who will prune it for me.

I don't want to let it go, but I don't have much choice as she's afraid it will fall on someone's head . . .

[arborjockey]

Hard to give a answer about the willow not being there. 1st thing don't feed the grass and yes at least get the dead wood out. Im going to assume the tree has a hallow core (heart rot of some sort). If it does manage it as a smaller tree so the dead limbs are accessible. Good news I love the shower\memosa\monkey pod (saminia samon) tree in front of the willow. Much much better then the willow in my opinion. Don't quote me but I believe willows are sensitive towards nitrogen hence don't feed the lawn opinion.
Warning all thoughts may change with education.

[Ed Roland]

Deadwooding does not kill trees. Trees in the forest drop dead material all the time and keep on keepin on. It decreases surface area for decay organisms. We, as professionals, remove deadwood for aesthetics and safety. Try not to cut into live wood as Salix is diffuse porous and a piss poor compartmentalizer.

Borers leave signs of their presence. Get out there and scour stems for frass, holes and or exudate. Frankly the images resemble root dysfunction like the sort we see after construction. Avoid modern fertilizers.

[arborjockey]

Go to lowes or home depot and purchase some merritt by baer. It a systemic that will help with the borer. If the tree is that important it needs to be addressed by a local arborist who can hands on study it.

[Heart]

I couldn't understand why cutting out the already dead limbs would 'kill' the tree either . . .

It has never been fertilized and only God waters it . . . will try the merrit . . . guess it can't hurt if the guy was wrong and WILL find someone to cut out the limbs that have no growth . . .

And, arborjockey, I love the Mimosa too; just put it out as a twing about 5 years ago and put a bigger one up by the house . . . but the weeping willow has always been my favorite tree.

[arborjockey]

So I talk to God and he's cool with you watering it too. They love water. The more the merrier. If you like the tree you have to pay. In life we pay for what we don't know. Trees have to be properly maintained much like your house or car. Pics and talk about trees is the same as telling your mechanic " its making a grinding noise. Can you tell me how to fix it over the phone"

[BlackOakTreeServ]

This willow was in my parents yard some 30 years ago and beautiful. Dad died and Mom remarried . . . they let the tree fall to boreworm (someone told me) and it is now in sad condition. Mom is in early stages of Alzheimer's Disease and has always been a penny pincher but it way overboard now . . . won't even keep the house in repair unless I force the issue . . . and I'm disabled with little income.

I was told I can't cut the dead branches out because it will kill the tree but I fail to understand that when the branches are already dead . . . so, there is not water access by the tree and no way to spray it down if boreworm is actually what the problem is . . . it is now a matter of cutting off the dead branches to a forks or cutting down the tree.

Photos:

SANY0861.jpg
SANY0862.jpg

Can I lop off the dead branhces or should I let her chop it down?
My inclination is to attempt chopping off the dead branches so they can't fall on someone's head and let God take it from there . . . but don't know how to get rid of boreworm even if I can find someone who will prune it for me.

I don't want to let it go, but I don't have much choice as she's afraid it will fall on someone's head . . .

heart, that willow needs to be deadwooded in a big way....who ever told you it doesnt, stay away from that person, they dont know jack....lol

From the pics, looks like a good amount of growth still, hope it makes it.

Oh, P.S I talked to GOD and he said get it deadwooded.....


Heart, heres a couple of pics of me deadwooding a HUGE willow last month....owners said willow around 80 to 100yr. old

[Heart]

O, my but that is a big un!

I sent word out for a man with a ladder truck to give me an estiment . . .
thank you . . .

[arborjockey]

I have a good feeling that somebody doing tree work with a ladder truck wont suffice. Try a climbing arborist

[beastmaster]

I was just getting ready to say willow don't have a long life span, then I saw the 100 year old one. Ha defiantly remove that dead wood, It ugly, it dangerous, you'll be able to inspect the dead wood for borer damage too. Tree may even look nice afterwards if done right.

[Heart]

It's not a matter of wanting to pay . . . it's a matter of no money to pay with; I have a water oak towering over my house that in on theproperty line . . . back when I was able to work, I wanted to cut it down because roots were clogging up my drain. Neighbor wouldn't agree so I had to suffer the expenses of leaving it . . . they had nailed thier fence to the tree and damaged it, now their side is dying and they want me to pay to have 2000.00 to have it taken down. All I could do was laugh and tell them they have my permission to take it down but I can't so if they don't want to pay for it . . . PRAY! My side is still alive and healthy so far but no telling which way it will fall when it falls!

The willow, I might be able to pay some to have it deadwooded, but have to find someone to give me a price first . . . no arborists listed in the yellow pages . . . none in this town I know of. Am doing the best I can do to save it, but it all comes down to how much is in my pocket and it's usually inside-out.

Still looking for soemone . . .

[Ed Roland]

Heart, as a master arborist I would like to say here that the tree would most benefit from 2 or 3 inches of mulch spread under its dripline, careful not to touch the base of the tree. This alone will provide care enough until funds can be saved to have a qualified arborist out. Deadwooding is not necessary unless the tree poses a risk to a target underneath. If you are able, get up close to the trunk and have a good looksee at what might be going on. Holes in deadwood = scavengers, holes in live wood = pests. Post pictures of what you find.

Trees are self optimizing. A little intervention goes a very long way.