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White oak worth trying to save?

Started by scgargoyle, July 07, 2018, 06:52:28 AM

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scgargoyle

We have a white oak out front with some die-back in the top. The tree is about 16" diameter, and used to be in the middle of our SC woods, so a bit tall. We put in a gravel driveway right next to it about 7 years ago. I know the driveway is rough on white oaks. It seems like the die-back is fairly stable, and the green part of the tree is looking good this year. We get a lot of die-back in hardwoods in this area, even undisturbed ones deep in the woods. My theory is that we are near the southern limits for many of these species, so they struggle, especially during our frequent droughts.

Should we try to get a tree service out to top the tree a bit and see if it will survive? The tree is close enough to the house to be a problem in one of our crazy summer thunderstorms, so if it was shorter I'd sleep better. How much should it be cut back, if at all? I expect that getting a tree service out with a bucket truck will cost a lot more than just having the whole thing felled.
I hope my ship comes in before the dock rots!

DelawhereJoe

Currently I've had 5 white oaks and 1 red oak just die this year, one of them I was expecting for it to die this year. I was told by a state forester that it was just "oak decline" from several year of stress from both spring flooding and summer drought. The boring insects that finished off the trees were just there from the trees being weakened from years stress.
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scgargoyle

We've lost most of the red oaks around here due to oak decline, but the white oaks seem to be holding up better. That's why I'm hoping I can save the one out front. I guess I'll see what it would cost to have it trimmed back, and make a decision based on that.
I hope my ship comes in before the dock rots!

Clark

Find an arborist who can do the trimming but is also familiar with a product called Cambistat. It's a growth inhibitor but is supposed to help stressed trees. The application should be less than the trimming and it lasts for 3-5 years which might be what the tree needs.

Clark
SAF Certified Forester

DelawhereJoe

Just looked that stuff up..... $400 per gal.....is that stuff made from GOLD ?
WD-40, DUCT TAPE, 024, 026, 362c-m, 041, homelite xl, JD 2510

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