carpenter ant invasion- can we save this tree?

[ParallelJJCat]

I think the first picture made it seem like the angle on the stump was extreme and upright. It's actually pretty flat...





(ignore the white powder...I wasn't kidding about dumping a ton of the stuff on it)

[Bulldogdad]

Well those pictures tell a whole different story.

Looks like the cut was done correctly.

I would get rid of the fugus manually as it is just creating more of a problem.

I would also carefully try to remove some of that rotten wood to expose the cavity a little more to air and sunlight. What ever you do don't damage good wood.

DO NOT FILL IT WITH ANYTHING.

It looks like the tree is doing a good job compartmentalizing and walling off the dead area that is why its rotting off the tree.

Tree looks fairly healthy but I can't see the canopy either.

Keep the ants and other critters off the tree. Looks like your tackling that problem already.

If its not a danger to the house let it do its thing.

When was the last time you fertilized the tree? You can look up methods for that.

[fisheye]

Bulldogdad,

It is hard to tell; but it looks like the one section heads towards the house. I have a next door neighbor that had specialist bolt and cable the two halves together where they had "Ys". That way the one split will help support the other side. I don't know if that would help in this case - but it might be worth asking?

[TinaMcG]

Originally Posted by fisheye

Bulldogdad,

It is hard to tell; but it looks like the one section heads towards the house. I have a next door neighbor that had specialist bolt and cable the two halves together where they had "Ys". That way the one split will help support the other side. I don't know if that would help in this case - but it might be worth asking?

That's an awfully large tree to try to bolt together. We had one done a few years ago, but it was a young mimosa (I know, I know, my husband loves it). I'm glad to see BDD express some hope.

[Bulldogdad]

Originally Posted by fisheye

Bulldogdad,

It is hard to tell; but it looks like the one section heads towards the house. I have a next door neighbor that had specialist bolt and cable the two halves together where they had "Ys". That way the one split will help support the other side. I don't know if that would help in this case - but it might be worth asking?

Good option fisheye.

Again without actually seeing the tree in person and from all angles its a REAL tough call.

I am not a big proponant of bolting trees. I believe unless its a tree of historical nature or a specimen that once its time has come then its time has come.

However as Tina and Em suggested get an Arborist down there if you really want to save it.

Tina I don't believe the tree is too big to bolt. But again I was fooled at first by the first photo that's why I asked for more.

In the first photo of the second set in the background is another tree that looks like it could be a future problem for dwellings by splitting. That could also be a bolting candidate.

Hope it works out OP.