"Sensation Maple" bark troubles

[bigbonk7]

Hello to you all. I am hoping you can help with some advice about this tree in our backyard. This is it's second year. It has leafed out nicely this year. It is called a "Sensation Maple" and I am told it is a native tree in our area (Idaho). I saw online that it is also known as a Manitoba Maple. Here is the trouble:

When we bought the tree it already had bark peeled back by winter injury. I didn't know at the time what that was. The tree was planted with the injury on the opposite side (northeast). Now the Southwest side has winter injury as well, inspite of the tree wrap which we have used each winter.

I have treated the tree with Bayer Tree and shrub in the hope of keeping insects at bay.

Right now the bark is peeling on the Southwest side, and the tree beneath shows some discoloration. I am wondering how to proceed.

Should I paint this exposed tree with tree paint? I have this exposure where bark has peeled on both sides of the tree.

Also, is further treatment to keep bugs at bay a good idea? Bayer tree and shrub is good for "up to 12 months". How am I to know when treatment is required again?

Thanks again for your advice. We'd hate to lose another tree! Though we have learned alot in the process!

 

[grizzly2]

First off, do not paint the exposed trunk area. There are a slew of reasons as to why not to do this. Personally, I would say to just monitor the tree. What's the location on the property and how valuable is it now or in the future. Some pics would definitely help make a better assessment. Of course, you could always just replant if the tree is only a few years old.

 

[treeseer]

Welcome to Arboristsite!

Posting pictures is easy and will get you much higher quality advice than without.

 

[bigbonk7]

Sensation Maple bark troubles

I will take photo's and try to post them. Thanks for your advice so far.....

 

[bigbonk7]

Sensation Maple belated photo's

:help: Here are some photo's. Since these were taken the bark has peeled of more, revealing darkened wood beneath. It doesn't look healthy. I've had an arborist over and he said to wrap it again, but loosely, to protect against the summer heat and sun. I have done that with white wrap. He also said he was encouraged by the "scabbing". The tree is working hard to heal this gap, but it is large, bigger than what you see in the photo's. Some of the leaves have started to change color and fall...... Is it a goner?

 

[buzz sawyer]

planting depth

Big,
I'm no expert but a I agree the tree looks like it's trying to heal. One questionable area is the depth of planting - looks too deep. Do some searches on root flare on this site. I'm suprised the arborist didn't point this out, unless there's a shadow in the photo that's hiding the flare.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Carefully pull back the soil from around the base of the tree to expose whats happening a few inches below ground. Then take another picture. From here it looks like a severe trunk girdling problem.

 

[treeseer]

Arborists should be able to excavate dead tissue to assess injury, and to find the trunk flare. Did s/he charge you for their time?

Dig down until you see the first primary root coming off the trunk. See New Tree Planting in the link below.

 

[bigbonk7]

More photo's and a response

The Arborist (He) did not charge me for his time as he didn't actually do anything. I've dug down as you suggested and it does look like the Tree might have been planted too deep. Just to get myself of the hook. we didn't plant it. The guys from the nursery planted the Tree. What is trunk girdling?
I do understand what you mean about root flare and it does appear that the root flare was below grade. I've put some of the dirt back, but have not backfilled as high as before. I don't think I want a little "basin' around the trunk where water will collect.

I've included a few extra photo's of the upper part of the tree. Also, enjoy the additional feature of my cats rolling in the dirt that I dug up. You dog folks probably think cats are clean creatures, but they love to roll in the dirt!

Thanks again for all your help!

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Your cat is trying to tell you to dig some more around the other side.
It looks like you have the tree dug down to the proper level on the side in the pictures, but the back side looks like there might still be a problem.
You and your cat need to get out there and remove some more soil.
The soil should cover only the part of the root flare that is horizontal, maybe about a half an inch above the spot where you nicked the root while digging. Don't put soil back up against the trunk. If you have to have a dish, that's fine, the option is to dig the whole tree up and replant.
I'd call the nursery and insist they do it for free.

Here's a dramatic example of a girdling root:

Another good example:

 

[treeseer]

Mike is right (imagine that!) about the soil depth and the need to dig on the other side, but the fact that you found one ungirdled buttress/primary root is a good sign. To avoid the "dish" issue, dig further out and slope the sides so they are less steep.

IMO <2" deep is not grounds for demanding replanting. It IS grounds for you to print out Buying High quality Trees and New Tree Planting from the link below and telling the nursery folks they did a literally substandard job.

in the first pic to the left under the wrap it looks like exposed wood. That wound should be cleaned; the dead bark "traced" away, like jagged skin, to promote good growth of scar tissue.

It would be useful to see the whole wound after the dead--dry and brown--bark is trimmed. If you nick green, moist tissue, back away a little.

 

[bigbonk7]

Sensation Maple, "THE WOUND"

I say that in caps because it is a big wound. That arborist that I spoke of did trim away the bark. I'm now thinkin' he was afraid to tell me how sick the tree is. Coward. Still, the tree is working pretty hard to heal. I just don't know if it will be able to do the job when about half the tree is injured. Now that you all have educated me I am so MAD at the nursery. These trees are expensive and a comittment of time and energy. We have had several trees die for one reason or another.... what an education. See attached photo's.

I think I remember reading on some website that I've searched using some of the terms that I've learned here, that planting the tree too deep makes it more vulnerable to southwest injury(freeze/thaw damage). Is this your understanding and is that likely what happened here?

 

[treeseer]

The arborist cleaned the wound, but did not find the flare? A halfasped job for no pay. That's no way to practice arboriculture. Shoulda charged for time and done it right.

Are those pics old, or did you put that dirt back? Find the Flare, and keep it visible!!!

o and btw I'd give your tree a prognosis of fair-Good, if you do recommended work on the roots. The injury is called sunscald, but scar tissue looks pretty vital and may close it eventually.

Your nursery still needs edumacating--did you print out that info?

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Get some more pictures of the rest of the uncovered flare, that other side might be real bad.
Treeseer, How did you diagnose sunscald vs. mechanical damage, frost crack, or some other problem? And does the tree being a boxelder play into your prognosis?

Honestly, I'd talk to the nursery. I would also move the tree to a less prominent place in the yard and replant a better tree, properly.
Your frustration will be greatly intensified if the tree hangs in there for several more years, gets to a nice size, and then has to be removed.

When you pick the replacement tree, first look at the flare, no visible flare, move on. Next look at the structure for a strong central leader and about 1/3 of the limbs should be on the lower 1/2 of the tree. You don't want a tree shaped like a lollipop, you'll get sunscald.
You can slowly shorten lower branches and eventually remove them as the upper crown grows and provides shade for the trunk and roots.

 

[bigbonk7]

Continuing...

Yes, I did push some soil back. That was before you both explained to me about the trunk flare. I will go back and scrape away soil until the flare is (I hope) properly exposed. Another photo at that time. I also wanted to hear what you had to say once you saw the wound.

Since we are into the growing season now, I guess we'll watch this tree and not decide what to do about it until it is closer to planting time in the fall or spring. Do you have a preference for planting time? It is pretty dry here, and if we plant in the fall we have to water over the winter. If watering over the winter, should I wait until the temperature is above freezing?

Mike, your point is well taken about nursing the tree along and then having to replace it down the road. We have been trying to grow a shade tree and I suppose the sooner we get a healthy tree planted properly, the better. Or maybe I should just take a hint from the high desert climate and stop trying to grow trees....

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

I wouldn't be discouraged, if you can grow grass, you can grow a tree.
Don't leave us mid-stream now, get a picture up of the other side.

 

[bigbonk7]

I can grow grass!

So I'll hang in there with my tree. The weather here has gotten chilly and somewhat rainy, so it will be a day or two before I complete the soil moving and trunk flare revealing. I'll keep you up to date and post more photo's, including the happy side of the trunk.

Thanks again for your help!

 

[bigbonk7]

I'm Back with pictures of the "other side"

I dug down to the root flare on all sides and have taken photos. It appears that the root flare was actually buried inside the burlap. You can see in the second photo the location of the metal wire closure of the bag in relationship to the root flare. I'm glad I have these photo's now, if I should want to complain to the nursery I have photo evidence. Although no evidence that the tree actually came from them except a reciept. Their "warranty" is only for a year anyway, so there is little I can do except learn from the experience. And, oh, what I have learned!

 

[buzz sawyer]

I dug down to the root flare on all sides and have taken photos. It appears that the root flare was actually buried inside the burlap. You can see in the second photo the location of the metal wire closure of the bag in relationship to the root flare. I'm glad I have these photo's now, if I should want to complain to the nursery I have photo evidence. Although no evidence that the tree actually came from them except a reciept. Their "warranty" is only for a year anyway, so there is little I can do except learn from the experience. And, oh, what I have learned!

Glad you are hanging in there and giving the tree a chance.
I can't believe how deep they buried that thing - and buried is probably the right word. You may just have saved it. I don't know what all the warranty covers, but I would at least take the photos and responses from this column and related sites and show them to the nursery. Could be they have or had one inept worker and they should be aware of this to prevent future occurrences and potential customer dissatisfaction. Good work!

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

You can take pictures and try to tell them them were wrong to plant the tree so deep, but in my experience they will get very defensive and tell you they have been planting trees that way for twenty years and never had a problem...bla, bla, bla...
Planting depth is a tricky problem because it rarely causes a problem until well after the warranty is up, so the nursery is not even aware of the problem. Really, there is no warranty period for defective work, I still hold the nursery accountable.