Viscous
Newly Registered
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2015 11:32 am

Is my tree dead?

Hello,

My olive tree has had a rough time, its bark was being peeled off by the neighborhood cats, while I was out the country for work, and now it is infested with ants, I think they set base within the tree (see second last attached photo). Looks like it was massacred :-(

I put chicken wire around the tree to protect it from the cats.

Any idea what's wrong with this tree? Can she keep going?

Please help.
Thanks in advance, much appreciated


Here are a few pictures (can take more if needed):
Attachments
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11088746_10153236845239301_8022815850542714740_o.jpg
11059997_10153236847284301_3052434749544700045_o.jpg
11087782_10153236847174301_6306361170347831328_o.jpg

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rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

Your tree does not look dead. You will know - it is spring, it should be putting out new growth.

You do want to protect the bark and ants getting into it is not a good sign. I would spray the bark, especially the wounded areas, with peppermint oil or peppermint extract in water. Peppermint is a good repellant for ants. Then put a barrier on the soil around the tree of some kind of powdery stuff - flour, talc, etc - at leas 1/4" deep for a few inches. That will help keep them from coming back. Ants don't like to cross powdery stuff, it clogs their spiracles.



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