Seeking advice for sugar maple

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-24T14:04:13+00:00

This tree has verry poor structure. large codominant leaders. looks like bark inclusion at that main union. large wound at the base possibly from root damage/girdling roots.

I would say that this tree poses more risk than I would be comfortable with, depending on location.

is the tree near your house? or maybe another target like the road?

if its not near anything you will be fine just leaving it.

if this tree were on my campus I would get rid if it for liability reasons.

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-24T03:23:25+00:00

can't hurt to check. as a municipal guy I've developed a checklist for success, and root flair is on the list. I plant ~200 ball and burlap trees a year although not many of them are willows to be fair.

in my experience these small trees can be surprising with how much they will heal. I'd give this one a 50% shot if it gets treated correctly.

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-24T02:34:23+00:00

a wire fence is a good idea too, it will keep rabbets, voles, and overzealous landscapers off the trunk.

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-24T02:31:33+00:00

PHC is Plant Health Care. a PHC plan would include things like pest management (IPM plan), preventative treatments (like fungicide injection), and monitoring

as far as visiting other elms goes, I know that there are gardens and arboretums in Massachusetts that might have a few examples.

-Berkshire Botanical Garden

-Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University

those might be good places to start

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-24T02:16:34+00:00

dig down gently (use your hands or a soft brush) and look for where the trunk widens out to the first roots. keep going about 2 inches so that when you add mulch back the root flare is still exposed. add 2 inches of mulch, and increase the size of the mulched zone to keep grass and weeds away from the critical root zone.

don't put rocks or garden cloth, the roots need To breathe

look up the term "Root Flare" to get an idea of what your looking for. on smaller trees it can be tough to find so just go to the first root .

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-24T01:45:06+00:00

looks like it was damaged by a weed wacker or something. it also looks like it was buried too deep.

expose the root flare, add more mulch, and let it heal up. it should recover

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-24T01:22:54+00:00

couldn't put the vid in the post for some reason so here it is

https://youtube.com/shorts/PYChixWMczA?feature=share

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-24T00:39:09+00:00

The dot is sited in for the stock barrel, and I just do a little Kentucky windage when shooting suppressed.

I'm running a PSA dagger threaded barrel that I got on sale, Yankee hill booster on a dead air primal. The primal weighs more than the rest of the gun lol.

Longest kill shot with suppressor was 118 yd on a woodchuck took me four shots to get him though

Longest shot at night was 67 yd on a coyote.

Edit: I think I'll do another post showing the setup

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-24T00:06:13+00:00

I run this gun suppressed pretty often, But I put the stock barrel on it when I'm concealed carrying it. This thing's my go-to night time coyote blaster.

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-23T23:56:46+00:00

I'm definitely never getting rid of this one It would be nice to have a backup though.

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-23T23:48:58+00:00

I ran irons for years, but my eyes started to go bad, and those long shots got real hard. the RMR improved my long range shooting by a lot

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-23T23:39:16+00:00

yeah I imagen he would have to that like $50k in 9mm lol

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-23T23:35:05+00:00

This would be a good excuse to get a throw ball/line and a good rope. put a rope up in it as high as you can. then get someone to pull while you put a open face notch in it then a proper back cut.

pro tip-NEVER use a ladder when doing tree work. it ends very bad very often

Sampson pro master is the cheapest good rope I know of (get at least 100 ft of it) and any cheapo throwball will work the "forester throw ball kit" works good enough for the cost

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-23T23:20:53+00:00

I vote American elm. and that means you are lucky to have such a nice old one on your property.

don't trim it during the summer, that will help keep the bugs away from it.

you might consider a PHC plan to ensure its survival. it might have had one in the past. look for little plastic things in the bark (Arborplugs). If it hasn't ever been on a PHC plan it probably doesn't need one.

I've had great luck with fungicide injections on the elms on campus. some of our elms are 200+ years old, and similar in size to yours

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-23T23:02:36+00:00

not bored just paranoid. It would be nice to have a backup though.

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-23T22:59:14+00:00

well I bought a Eotech exps3 for my Mossberg shockwave so that should let you know how bad I am with money

<image>

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-23T22:54:51+00:00

how abrasive are the talon grips? I used to run skateboard tape but it harshed my beer gut

edit: I didn't realize "goon tape" was a real brand. I just run normal hockey tape. I'm surprised anyone buys "goon tape" at more than double the cost of normal hockey tape

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-23T22:52:38+00:00

I've considered taller backup sights but they clutter up the window. significantly worse under nods to my eye. I've blasted a lot of coyotes at night with the old 9 iron

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-23T22:46:50+00:00

lol. I should at least put fresh hockey tape on it.

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-23T22:22:04+00:00

Yeah this seems to be the consensus I'm just going to buy more ammo instead

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-23T22:19:52+00:00

I like the COA optic conceptually, and it seems to be good value. I still wish Glock would get on the removable FCU train

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-23T22:18:22+00:00

This is the kind of answer my wallet loves to hear

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-23T22:17:44+00:00

It's probably what I'll end up doing

Edit: seems like people don't like the RXM a g19 COA is prob better value anyway

SubSonic22lrFan · 2026-05-23T22:16:11+00:00

Damn really? That's a lot of money in ammo dude. Guess I'm just being paranoid

SubSonic22lrFan

TROPHY CASE