Oak Tree is Dying

[Chris Mink]

I live in Heflin Alabama. I have an old Oak Tree that appears to be dying. It has a fork in it about 20 feet off the ground and one half of the fork is what is dying. It dropped all its leaves this summer and now the branches are starting to fall. The limbs that have already fallen are upwards of 8 to 12 inches in Diameter. If I had to estimate the age of this tree it would be well over 100 years old considering its size. I am just trying to figure out if there is anyway to save the tree, or if I should have it topped out or cut off all the dead stuff. I have noticed some moss up in the part that is dying. One thind I have done that might have hurt the tree is sprayed the trunk of it with Round-Up heavy brush killer to get rid of the poison Oak and Ivy that was growing up it.

 

[Canyonbc]

There are a lot of great guys on this sight with tons of knowledge..but to get the best answer you can get...pictures can really make all the difference in the world.

Good luck with it...i personally dont no...but best of luck either way

 

[BostonBull]

Please post a few pictures. The whole tree, the fallen limbs and the leaves would really help. also one of the base of the tree.

 

[sawyerDave]

Roundup probably ain't the culprit...

You could literally hose roundup on a tree trunk full strength, and unless it was severely injured by lightning or girdling cuts, the roundup would have no effect, because it only affects actively growing green tissue like leaves. Have no fear about using it around the roots and lower trunk area, either, because it has no soil activity, it's only taken up by leaves. Sounds like an older oak just following the course of nature.:Eye:

 

[Newt*]

You could literally hose roundup on a tree trunk full strength, and unless it was severely injured by lightning or girdling cuts, the roundup would have no effect, because it only affects actively growing green tissue like leaves. Have no fear about using it around the roots and lower trunk area, either, because it has no soil activity, it's only taken up by leaves. Sounds like an older oak just following the course of nature.:Eye:

With no disrespect to Sawyer Dave, RoundUp does move through the soil and can cause problems. From this site:
http://www.pan-uk.org/pestnews/Actives/glyphosate2.htm

Environmental fate and ecological impact of glyphosate

Degradation of glyphosate in soil was found to be slow(51). A study in Denmark has found that: ‘glyphosate, when applied in late autumn, can leach through the root zone [1m below ground soil] at unacceptable concentrations in loamy soil’; average concentrations exceeded the European Drinking Water Standard (0.1 µg/l) at two sites for glyphosate, and at one for aminoethylphosphonic acid, a degradation product detected over one and a half years after application(52). The Danish government has proposed to restrict the use of glyphosate, preventing its use during the autumn and winter on clay soils where the risk of leaching is high within heavy rainfall. The restriction is due to come into force in 2004.

Conclusion
It is often argued that glyphosate is an alternative to the use of herbicides with higher acute toxicities, such as 2,4-D or paraquat. However, there exists sufficient evidence that glyphosate can cause harmful chronic effects to health, and the Danish study on surface waters revealed an unforeseen way of behaviour in the environment. The use of glyphosate should be reduced substantially, especially in developing countries, to minimise acute and chronic effects on wildlife and human health.

Here is part of the summary of the above mentioned Danish study called Danish Pesticide Leaching Assessment Programme.
http://pesticidvarsling.dk/monitor_uk/2002_uk/vap-results-99-02-10-uk.html

Summary of monitoring results

Chapter 10, PLAP - Monitoring results May 1999 - June 2002

The findings indicate that glyphosate, when applied in late autumn, can leach through
the root zone at unacceptable concentrations in loamy soils. At the loamy sites Estrup and Silstrup, glyphosate leached from the root zone into the drainage water at average concentrations exceeding 0.1 µg/l.

Evidence of glyphosate leaching was only seen in the loamy soil, and the leaching risk was negligible at the coarse, sandy soil site at Jyndevad.

I've read posts by many homeowners who state that their trees are dying after spraying herbicides on the weeds under the trees.

Newt

 

[Dixie1]

you say you sprayed with Round-up heavy brush killer. Was it actually round-up with the active ingredient glyphosate or was it a brush killer with more than likely dicamba or 2,4-d as the active ingredient. there is a big difference on what is okay and not okay to spray around trees. i would advise on NOT getting round-up on tree roots. yes, you can spray around trees and get a little on the trunk, but i would still be very cautious. and if it was sprayed on a windy day with high humidity you can easily get drift and damage. i'm not saying this is what did it, but if the homeowner noticed damage just after spraying it sounds highly suspect to me. did you spray before the tree was looking bad or after? did you spray up into the tree canopy possibly getting chemical on foliage? pics would help.

 

[sawyerDave]

OK, so roundup does move through the soil...

and it'll kill fish in heavy enough concentrations, but I still stand by what I said- the roots of your oak tree will not pick it up and kill the tree.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

and it'll kill fish in heavy enough concentrations, but I still stand by what I said- the roots of your oak tree will not pick it up and kill the tree.

I disagree.
Glyphosate is a poor woody plant killer, even at strong concentrations, but to suggest that the tree doesn't "pick it up" is wrong. The simple fact that it is water soluble and that it moves through soil enough to contaminate water systems, indicates trees can and do "pick it up".
The reason we don't see more tree damage is because it is such a bad woody plant killer. I do recall seeing a study that showed reduced cold hardiness of trees in spray areas, which could mean an already stressed tree could be damaged by the combination of previous or future stress (perhaps cold) and glyphosate.

 

[polexie]

Chris,

pictures will help us all. Please take a view.

Thanx

 

[Dadatwins]

Beside pictures, you will need info on any recent contruction or soil changes around the tree? any other trees on the property having similiar symptoms? is the area irrigated or not? Just a few questions to help get started to figure out some possibilities. An on site evaluation will usually be the best bet though.

 

[OLD CHIPMONK]

Do you have a landscape bed built up around the base & over the root system ? Do you have mushroom looking items growing at the base or on the trunk ? Is the oak visibly hallowed in the trunk areas. Just a shell of what it used to be !