I have several trees that were trimmed many years ago near the base and where the trees were trimmed, this area has begun to rot out over the years.
I had an arborist in this weekend who suggested putting in foam in the cavities and I was wondering if I could do this myself.
Anyone familiar with names of products? where to obtain? other tips?
Thank you in advance
herman
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Hi Herman,
If the trees are rotting near the base, what does this arborist say the foam will do? Is this a certified arborist? Putting anything in the rotting area will only seal in the fungus and speed up the rotting. Foam will do less damage then mortar but will degrade over time and not solve the problem.
Newt
If the trees are rotting near the base, what does this arborist say the foam will do? Is this a certified arborist? Putting anything in the rotting area will only seal in the fungus and speed up the rotting. Foam will do less damage then mortar but will degrade over time and not solve the problem.
Newt
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Newt,
Thank you for the response.
Yes, this is a certified arborist, he made it a point to say several times that he was a certified arborist, and actually broke out his card to show it to me.
He was pitching putting foam not so much as in the hole but sort of at the top of the hole shaped like a ^, that would keep additional water from coming into the hole. This might work to keep rainwater out, but it would also seal moisture in the hole.
On a separate subject, he also strongly recommended cabling two of my red oaks, both are fine old trees with two codeterminate trunks. I am not crazy about the idea about drilling holes into the trees as the trees look fine. Thoughts?
Thank you for the response.
Yes, this is a certified arborist, he made it a point to say several times that he was a certified arborist, and actually broke out his card to show it to me.
He was pitching putting foam not so much as in the hole but sort of at the top of the hole shaped like a ^, that would keep additional water from coming into the hole. This might work to keep rainwater out, but it would also seal moisture in the hole.
On a separate subject, he also strongly recommended cabling two of my red oaks, both are fine old trees with two codeterminate trunks. I am not crazy about the idea about drilling holes into the trees as the trees look fine. Thoughts?
You are so very welcome! Cabling is generally done on a valuable tree that needs to be saved. There still needs to be room for a tree to sway some in the wind. Are there 'V' crotches that have splits where there are codominant trunks and that's why he suggested the cabling? Any other symptoms on these oaks?
I don't know the name of your arborist's company, but take a look here for a caveat.
https://www.treecareindustry.org/Public/member_logo_violators.htm
You might also want to read here.
https://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/hazards.aspx
https://www.coloradotrees.org/hazard.htm
https://www.forestpathology.org/hazard.html
https://na.fs.fed.us/fhp/hazard_tree/
Maybe you should have a consulting arborist take a look at your trees if you aren't certain. Explain that it's just a consult if you indeed want this first person to do the work and have checked their references.
Newt
I don't know the name of your arborist's company, but take a look here for a caveat.
https://www.treecareindustry.org/Public/member_logo_violators.htm
You might also want to read here.
https://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/hazards.aspx
https://www.coloradotrees.org/hazard.htm
https://www.forestpathology.org/hazard.html
https://na.fs.fed.us/fhp/hazard_tree/
Maybe you should have a consulting arborist take a look at your trees if you aren't certain. Explain that it's just a consult if you indeed want this first person to do the work and have checked their references.
Newt
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I hang around at a couple of arborists forums and the arborists I know don't think much of sealing such an area with anything. The rot is already there. You need to assess if you want to keep these trees if they are valuable to you by trying to extend their lives. Once the rot starts it's nearly impossible to stop. I wouldn't use it on my trees.
Newt
Newt
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