Help with young tree

[SwedeSpeed]

Hello, I hope this is the correct forum page. I would greatly appreciate any kind of advice. Thank you in advance.

I have a pine tree that I planted maybe 15 years ago. It got too big for its spot and I recently moved it (2 days ago from the date of this post)

In the process of moving it, the bark at the base of the tree got ripped up (the bark is still there but the inside is showing). How can I go about repairing the bark, if needed?

Also, as I’ve been watering I noticed small red ants making a home in the soil underneath my tree. Is that something to worry about?

Got this tree in kindergarten for earth day, care a lot about it lol. Thanks for your time

 

[ATH]

Rough time of year to transplant a tree...

Rough time of year for that kind of bark damage.

Your best bet is to wrap the trunk to try to get the bark fully in contact with the wood under it. I'd use masking take so it breaks down before too long. It needs to be there through next spring into early summer. If to takes by then you are good to go. If not, there isn't much hope. If it happened early in the spring, there is a chance it may have taken back. Much less likely now, but might as well try. Ideally the wrapping would have happened right after the damage occurred.

 

[SwedeSpeed]

Rough time of year to transplant a tree...

Rough time of year for that kind of bark damage.

Your best bet is to wrap the trunk to try to get the bark fully in contact with the wood under it. I'd use masking take so it breaks down before too long. It needs to be there through next spring into early summer. If to takes by then you are good to go. If not, there isn't much hope. If it happened early in the spring, there is a chance it may have taken back. Much less likely now, but might as well try. Ideally the wrapping would have happened right after the damage occurred.

Okay, thank you very much for your reply. I will give it my best shot

Should I do something about the red ants?

 

[Raintree]

Looks like a white fir. What did you do yank it out with a rope? Ruptured and girdled stem = toast

 

[SwedeSpeed]

Looks like a white fir. What did you do yank it out with a rope? Ruptured and girdled stem = toast

Yep! dug it out then pulled it out the rest of the way with a Toyota Tundra. But the tree is still alive!

 

[SwedeSpeed]

Rough time of year to transplant a tree...

Rough time of year for that kind of bark damage.

Your best bet is to wrap the trunk to try to get the bark fully in contact with the wood under it. I'd use masking take so it breaks down before too long. It needs to be there through next spring into early summer. If to takes by then you are good to go. If not, there isn't much hope. If it happened early in the spring, there is a chance it may have taken back. Much less likely now, but might as well try. Ideally the wrapping would have happened right after the damage occurred.

Thanks again for your advice!
Took a few photos over the past year in its new spot, not without issues but the tree is still alive and to my untrained eye, healthy.

Here are a few of the photos: