Ruthless
ArboristSite Lurker
Hello from Illinois! -- I've recently moved out of a house in town (got married and moved out to the country, so you'll be hearing more from me in the coming months/years!) that has a couple of mature soft maples in the front yard. I was young, and relatively ignorant, when I got this place, and didn't think much about the condition of the trees on the premises. Some friends of my husband and I have recently moved in to my old place, however, and we're concerned now (albeit, belatedly, I regret) about how much life this tree has left. Remarkably, it still puts out large amounts of foliage and helicopters, and has few dead branches above. I can see that is is starting to struggle though, some bark has been falling off the other side from the hole.
This maple had a small trunk hole when I first moved in, but over the past 10 years or so, it has probably more than doubled in size. The squirrels really dig it, especially the new babies that have appeared in the tree this year... which makes me wonder if there's more caverns up there somewhere.
Way back when, you could probably get a softball or something in the opening, now I'm thinking volleyball/basketball range, and it it goes back more than a foot or so. It's a pretty wide trunk. I wish I had brought my tape measure. The picture shows some wood coming out of the hole, and that actually is loose and removable; quite a chunk.
Is it time to panic? Is there anything that can be done (from what I've seen, I'm thinking probably not) or is it a goner? I sincerely appreciate the opportunity for help in this matter, and will act on your recommendations post haste!
Ruthless (Mrs Hopsing)
This maple had a small trunk hole when I first moved in, but over the past 10 years or so, it has probably more than doubled in size. The squirrels really dig it, especially the new babies that have appeared in the tree this year... which makes me wonder if there's more caverns up there somewhere.
Way back when, you could probably get a softball or something in the opening, now I'm thinking volleyball/basketball range, and it it goes back more than a foot or so. It's a pretty wide trunk. I wish I had brought my tape measure. The picture shows some wood coming out of the hole, and that actually is loose and removable; quite a chunk.
Is it time to panic? Is there anything that can be done (from what I've seen, I'm thinking probably not) or is it a goner? I sincerely appreciate the opportunity for help in this matter, and will act on your recommendations post haste!
Ruthless (Mrs Hopsing)