HuskerTX
ArboristSite Lurker
I have a 14 inch diameter trunk live oak that, other than the bark at the base of the tree, is healthy. A few years ago, some loose bark chipped off at the base (maybe 3 inches wide, 3 inches tall) and that "wound" is still present. Well, last fall I tapped around the trunk with my knuckle and I could detect that about half of the trunk, from the ground to about 6 inches high, had bark that was detached from the wood - dead in other words.
I left it alone over the winter hoping that the dead bark would at least protect the tree from the cold. The tree has leafed out beautifully and today I removed all of the decaying/rotting bark - all the way to healthy bark - so that new bark could begin to grow over the large wounded area.
Again, fully half of the trunk is void of bark - an area approx 6 inches high, starting at the ground.
Is there anything further that I need to do to the tree to help it, or should it be ok from this point on? I called out an arborist last fall, and quickly lost confidence in him when he started talking tree removal and replacement. This is a big, beautiful, and otherwise vigorous live oak.
Thanks in advance for the advice.
I left it alone over the winter hoping that the dead bark would at least protect the tree from the cold. The tree has leafed out beautifully and today I removed all of the decaying/rotting bark - all the way to healthy bark - so that new bark could begin to grow over the large wounded area.
Again, fully half of the trunk is void of bark - an area approx 6 inches high, starting at the ground.
Is there anything further that I need to do to the tree to help it, or should it be ok from this point on? I called out an arborist last fall, and quickly lost confidence in him when he started talking tree removal and replacement. This is a big, beautiful, and otherwise vigorous live oak.
Thanks in advance for the advice.