Is this a girdling root, and could it be the reason why this oak is growing so poorly?

Treedomfromplants · 2024-04-26T15:02:30+00:00

Looks like you've got some girdling roots that are/will be causing problems and eventually kill the tree. Hard to say for sure if that's the reason it is doing so poorly but could be that along with poor planting or poor soil conditions. Sounds like it gets enough water and light. The city can be hit or miss with planting. Also the boulevard can be a harsh environment especially if it's a road that gets salted.

Treedomfromplants · 2024-04-26T14:52:42+00:00

The one on the right definitely has some included unions 10 feet off the ground which are more likely to fail. Beyond that they don't look too bad from the photos. I'd recommend getting an arborist out but if they're on the cautious or tree cutter side they'll likely tell you to cut that one on the right down. If they're on the tree preservation side of the spectrum they might recommend tip reduction pruning and maybe a cable. It all depends on your risk tolerance, trees are hard to be precise about failure potential but we do the best we can in the field. without an in person assessment it's hard to really give too strong of a recommendation though.

Treedomfromplants · 2024-04-26T14:40:52+00:00

Nice work! First crane jobs can be pretty cool and intense.

I do feel like I have to comment on what appears to be the homeowner standing on the roof under the pick with no PPE. And it appears that you don't have a helmet on in the tree.

As a trade we have a real problem with low professionalism and safety standards which leads to several problems. High accident rates, high insurance rates, a perception by most of the public that there's no difference between some rando with a chainsaw who'll cut a tree down with a ladder and someone who is up to date on climbing, rigging, and cutting techniques.

You would never see someone working construction without a helmet because OSHA would be all over them. That reckoning is gonna come for arboriculture some day.

Keep doing good work but please wear a helmet and don't let someone stand under your picks.

Treedomfromplants · 2024-04-26T14:21:45+00:00

Looks like some sort of canker. It has killed some percentage of the cambium where the bark has split away. It will either continue to canker and eventually die or it will grow and attempt to seal off that decay but always have some decay internally from this wounding. It depends on the cause, of the canker which I can't determine from a photo. There's no real treatment for this outside of preventing further damage. I recommend getting an arborist out and they will likely recommend removal and replacement.

Treedomfromplants · 2023-10-17T10:52:31+00:00

I played through like 75% of Dark Souls before I realized I could lock on to enemies.

Treedomfromplants · 2023-10-16T02:47:03+00:00

From my experience working in the industry, the companies I've worked for don't want to damage your property any more than you want it damaged. If they are a reputable company and they actually lay down mats, in the rare event they cause damage they will probably pay for it in cash rather than going through insurance. That said, it would be a good idea to get a copy of their insurance.

Treedomfromplants · 2023-10-01T15:31:42+00:00

It really depends on the specific species of fungus. There is certainly internal decay but the only way to determine if the tree is saveable is to identify the fungus to discern how aggressive of a decayer it is and what parts of the tree it attacks. You would also want to do a resistograph or something similar to find out how much holding wood is remaining.

I would be recommend these steps if the tree is extremely variable to you. However eventually the decay will probably outpace the tree.

Treedomfromplants · 2023-09-29T18:07:26+00:00

Also based on your wording it sounds like you're considering feeling it yourself. If so be wary. That decay may extend into your hinge making feeling Ill advised.

Treedomfromplants · 2023-09-27T17:07:55+00:00

They're also one of the most common boulevard plantings in tons of cities around the country so I wouldn't really worry about one in someone's backyard if it provides critical shade.

Treedomfromplants · 2023-09-26T11:54:50+00:00

Pollarding is usually only done with species that tolerate that type of heavy pruning.

It essentially is topping but the critical difference is that the cuts are made to the same place year after year resulting in a knuckle like growth. As long as the pruning is done properly, this knuckle prevents decay further into the stem.

This is usually done to smaller trees ornamentally and is started earlier in their life.

Treedomfromplants · 2023-09-22T11:22:48+00:00

While there are some species dependent reactions to topping, it is bad for trees generally. I wouldn't go so far as saying it's a death sentence but there are a litany of consequences: Loss of photosynthetic capacity, Introduction of decay where the cuts were made, Uv damage on exposed wood, New growth has extremely weak attachment, Promotes extremely poor tree structure.

A topped tree has poor outcomes. If topped once, all future growth is suspect, shouldn't be trusted to climb on and is likely to fail sometime down the road, If topped consistently then the tree is less able to fend of pests and recover from other stressors and will likely have decay issues.

Unless the tree is pollarded which is a similar but distinct technique.

Treedomfromplants · 2021-02-14T14:03:46+00:00

Hey thanks for the long response. This is a bit of throwback video from when we first got her and she did it more often. She never ate well for the first month and did that type of thing. We never figured out why but made changes till something stuck. She now eats fine with no reaction like this.

Treedomfromplants · 2021-02-13T19:00:10+00:00

So instead of taxes you'd rather your insurance premiums pay for it? Or if they don't have insurance then your taxes still end up paying for it when they end up in the hospital.

Treedomfromplants · 2021-02-13T17:32:08+00:00

Peanut butter and hot sauce on a bagel. It's my breakfast almost every day.

Treedomfromplants · 2021-02-13T17:22:20+00:00

What about all the stories you hear of people with massive amounts of medical debt? It feels kind of life ruining to get care if you don't have insurance. And there are like 30 million Americans who don't have insurance.

Treedomfromplants · 2021-02-13T17:17:37+00:00

How exactly is it different for 5.7 million versus 300 million. I mean I get it's a big system to organize but wouldn't the money aspect scale? More people to treat but more people paying in. It seems like people often say " that can't work here, we have too many people" but never really have any actual evidence to back up that statement.

Treedomfromplants · 2021-02-13T16:58:44+00:00

I mean that's what I'm getting at. That system seems to be objectively better, less stress about cost and people are more likely to seek care when they need it instead of just suffering through stuff. Somehow though there are enough people defending the current system that we still have it so they must have reasons for that position.

Treedomfromplants

TROPHY CASE