Oak Tree (Large) split... Is it worth saving?

[get2me]

Last Friday we had a tornado go thru and one of our large Oak trees. Everything in our gut says to save the tree but we don't know if there is anything we can do to save it long term. So I'm looking for advice. We have temporarily put a steel cable around the tree to stop it from splitting any more while we make a plan. The bottom of the split is about 15-18 foot off the ground so it's not easy to get to. HELP... we don't want to loose the tree!

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[thepheniox]

If you can't do the work yourself which I think is the case. Call a local arborist and they will look at it and give you a quote for free. Trees can be bolted and cabled to save them. But it looks like a bad split over a house I would recommend removing it but I'm just looking at a picture. Call a pro.

 

[thepheniox]

Looking at it again I would say not a chance with saving it. Still needs to be removed. Call a pro.

 

[Zale]

Sorry to say, but I would not cable or put in through rods. From the picture, the split is quite severe and removal would be my suggestion.

 

[troythetreeman]

you can try to bolt it and cable it, the question is whats it over? damage like that they can live though but are significantly weaker
you have to weigh risk verses the value of the tree, and you cant replace a big tree like that
if it were my tree, and it wasnt over a bed room or frequently occupied living area i would bolt it and cable it, trim it out to lighten it up and help air move though it and hope for the best
make sure you get someone in who uses good hardware and sound methods, i cant tell you how many cable jobs i see consisting of 5/16 lag screws and 1/4 inch cable, it might look like its doing something, but it really isnt
job like that, done right, youre looking at something like 200$ in the hardware alone
plus labor, plus a trim, without actually seeing it id say 700-1000$ total bill and no guarantee it saves the tree
and the sooner the better, that split could finish coming down at any time
is there much oak wilt in your area?

 

[freehothm]

If you can't do the work yourself which I think is the case.

 

[get2me]

Thanks for everyone's input. It's truely appreciated. We're so attached to the tree that my husband wants no part of taking it down. I don't know that we have the money to fix it properly. We'll have to sleep and pray on it. Perhaps after both of us get out of the denial stage and into the acceptance stage we'll be able to take it down.

As for oak wilt, we don't have any as of yet. I really don't want to tempt fate (and the disease) with an oak that's as open and weakened as this one.

Thanks again

 

[Zale]

Thanks for everyone's input. It's truely appreciated. We're so attached to the tree that my husband wants no part of taking it down. I don't know that we have the money to fix it properly. We'll have to sleep and pray on it. Perhaps after both of us get out of the denial stage and into the acceptance stage we'll be able to take it down.

As for oak wilt, we don't have any as of yet. I really don't want to tempt fate (and the disease) with an oak that's as open and weakened as this one.

Thanks again[/QUOTE

Putting a cable system in the tree will not "fix" the tree. I hate to see people spend a lot of money with the expectation that what they are doing will solve the problem. If anyone tells you they can fix it, don't trust them.

 

[get2me]

Thanks for the wise advise.

 

[Rftreeman]

first let me start by saying, that cable is not going to prevent it from splitting farther and secondly, stay away from it and call someone who can handle it and do so very soon, that is a deadly tree that needs a pros attention NOW!!!

 

[treeseer]

I don't know that we have the money to fix it properly...

Removing it costs much more--can you afford NOT to repair it? That quote of up to $1000 is a wild guess. It sounds pretty high.

Putting a cable system in the tree will not make it like it was before, but it will "fix" the tree ell enough to stabilize it indefinitely, and it will solve the problem. If anyone tells you they cannot fix it, and they don't even know the industry standards for doing so, their advice is not qualified. Also if they look at their computer and call it 'deadly' you know that is a removalist speaking.

ANSI A300 - Best Management Practices Support Systems Combo are the standards. Find a Certified Arborist with experience.

Also, did you file an insurance claim? If any part of that tree--an acorn?--damaged any of your property, the cost of repairing the tree may be covered.

 

[Rftreeman]

Removing it costs much more--can you afford NOT to repair it? That quote of up to $1000 is a wild guess. It sounds pretty high.

Putting a cable system in the tree will not make it like it was before, but it will "fix" the tree ell enough to stabilize it indefinitely, and it will solve the problem. If anyone tells you they cannot fix it, and they don't even know the industry standards for doing so, their advice is not qualified. Also if they look at their computer and call it 'deadly' you know that is a removalist speaking.

ANSI A300 - Best Management Practices Support Systems Combo are the standards. Find a Certified Arborist with experience.

Also, did you file an insurance claim? If any part of that tree--an acorn?--damaged any of your property, the cost of repairing the tree may be covered.

ok, I'll bite at your bait, if their kid is out there playing on that rope swing and that leader breaks out and kills the kid would it be a "deadly" tree then, is that what it takes, a kid to be killed before you understand the meaning of a deadly tree, I didn't say it couldn't be fix, I told them so stay away from it and call someone who can handle it.....

 

[thepheniox]

Industry standards on fixing a tree this size with a large split. The industry standard to make it safe would be removing the tree. Judging by the photo it is the only option. Now if the tree was in the middle of a field with nothing around maybe but deffinately not that close to a structure. Yeap I am ISA certified arborist, certified tree worker and municipal specialist. Like I said before call a pro we can only recommend so much looking at a photo. But do tell us what they say.

 

[get2me]

Thank you all so much for your input. This tree is on our recreation land in central WI. We put the cable on as a temporary measure so It wouldn't fall before we could get there again. That would give us time to do some research. Unfortunately, nothing there is insured. It was toooooo expensive because of where we are geographically and the township has only a volunteer fire department. (ugh!) That's why I was concerned about it falling on the house.

To add insult to injury, when we came home (SCentral WI) we had two more trees in the same shape! (not a good weekend...)

I'm in the process of trying to get someone out there to look at the tree (for free). It's not as easy as one would think.

 

[treeseer]

" Unfortunately, nothing there is insured. It was toooooo expensive because of where we are geographically and the township has only a volunteer fire department."

Sorry for the wrong assumption. I thought any house with a mortgage had to be insured.

"To add insult to injury, when we came home (SCentral WI) we had two more trees in the same shape! (not a good weekend...)

Pics?

"I'm in the process of trying to get someone out there to look at the tree (for free). It's not as easy as one would think.

I think it'd be hard to get anyone to give away their time for free, unless that was what their time was worth. It's bad damage but if you value the tree it can be repaired. Good arborists in Delafield, Madison....

 

[awisemd]

Taking the safe road

View attachment 280301

" Unfortunately, nothing there is insured. It was toooooo expensive because of where we are geographically and the township has only a volunteer fire department."

Sorry for the wrong assumption. I thought any house with a mortgage had to be insured.

"To add insult to injury, when we came home (SCentral WI) we had two more trees in the same shape! (not a good weekend...)

Pics?

"I'm in the process of trying to get someone out there to look at the tree (for free). It's not as easy as one would think.

I think it'd be hard to get anyone to give away their time for free, unless that was what their time was worth. It's bad damage but if you value the tree it can be repaired. Good arborists in Delafield, Madison....

 

[TreeGuyHR]

hard to tell from the pictures, but the split may have decay in it. If so, I would say remove the tree; if solid, consider cabling and bracing it along with a crown reduction and thinning to reduce end weight. Of course, this is free advice based on a photo -- I have a minimum $200 fee for a visual risk assessment and letter style report based on a site visit to inspect the tree.

 

[treeseer]

hard to tell from the pictures, but the split may have decay in it. If so, I would say remove the tree; if solid, consider cabling and bracing it along with a crown reduction and thinning to reduce end weight. Of course, this is free advice based on a photo -- I have a minimum $200 fee for a visual risk assessment and letter style report based on a site visit to inspect the tree.

did you notice this was from 2013?

Kinda weird that people are so hot for free advice on tree care that they go to a chainsaw forum, then--surprise--what they hear is to use a chainsaw on it. :alien2:

anyone giving advice without Knowing the BMP should consider the value of silence. :msp_smile:

 

[tomtrees58]

with a split that bad cables and rods not worth it theirs to Munch top remove it 1000.00 is fair price around here i get 1500..00 for a tree like that

 

[hardpan]

Just a question. I know it would be ugly but what if it was cut off at the bottom of the split and the "stump" cut was heavily coated with roofing cement or similar? I see power companies do worse and the trees seem to last forever. Would not the continuing decline be less than an accepted procedure such as cables? In the meanwhile plant some more trees to start a new shade area. The only thing I know for sure is I wouldn't leave it like that in that location.