Advice would be appreciated...

[kkirt1]

I have a Sycamore tree with a large hole in the side of it near the base. I'm sure you have seen these holes before where it appears a branch has broken off and instead of closing the wound it just rotted away. Now there is 6 - 10" of rotted wood and dirt in the hole and there is grass growing out of it. Should I seal the hole with something? The tree doesn't look like it is doing very well.

Second question. I planted a 5 gallon red maple near a place where I cut down a Locust tree and shredded the stump with a stump grinder last August. I spread the remains of the stump around. I had read somewhere around here that decomposing wood robs the soil of a particular type of nutrient. Is this true? Is there something I can do to help this little tree survive in an admittely bad location (bad location for the tree - good location for me?)

I know... two questions, I'm pushing my luck but you guys have come through in the past.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Current thinking is to leave the cavity alone, and reduce as many stresses on the tree as you can. Water during drought, carefully install a mulch ring out to the dripline or farther, do a soil test and take care of any problems, ect.
In WI our sycamores are full of Sycamore Anthracnose, if you have that problem, controlong it will go a long way in improving the health of the tree.
Once the tree has optimal growing conditions, it should be able to seal that pocket of decay on it's own.
Don't fertilize the tree at this point, unless the soil test indicates it needs somehting specific, but if you must, keep nitrogen down to around one pound per 1000 square feet, per year.

For your young Maple, wood in the soil will tend to use nitrogen and it's easy to replace with a handful of lawn fertilizer sprinkled around the tree once or twice a year. This type of "quick release" fertilizer can burn roots, so apply when things are cool, in fall or spring, not in the heat of August. Once the wood chips break down, they are a great source of organic matter for the new tree to use.

 

[M.D. Vaden]

Yeah, I agree with him!

Mostly.

I'd lightly remove loose crud around the wood, or wash the soil and grass away enough to allow for the wound to close over some more. That's if the crud is impeding the closure.

True, if chips use nitrogen, its easy to replace.

If the fertilizer is a lawn fertilizer, be sure its not a weed-and-feed. Those have up to 3 or so herbicides, and usually, one of them moves in the soil and can be harmful to trees.

 

[kkirt1]

Thanks guys... as always a wealth of info.