Crimson King, collateral damage

msowka

Hello Folks,

(All pics attached at bottom for readability)

I've got a relatively new (2yrs) Crimson King planted in my backyard, it's about 12ft hight now and developing quite nicely... up until I damaged it with ant poison (?).

Little bit of background: our backyards do not have the best drainage, and when the developer finally agreed to replant several of our (my neighbours too) maples such that their roots weren't getting drowned in largely clay soil, they had agreed to plant ours on a slight mound. That is, on expert suggestions found on the net ours was planted on a slight mound of soil such that its roots wouldn't get drowned; said to help new maples develop quick in our conditions.

Well... this spring I found that the slight mound had turned into an anthill! And so off I go to the local shop and inquire about an ant 'treatment'. I had purchased AntOut (containing 90% silicon dioxide, also known as Diatomaceous Earth) and started regularly sprinkling on a thin blanket of it around the 'affected' area around the tree.

It seemed to have hit the ants as their numbers lessened... but having recently noticed their increase I went to repeat the treatment and noticed something terrible with our maple! (If anyone has any suggestions for the original ant problem they would be much appreciated, tons out there but none that are sure!)

It seems that the bark around the bottom (~4in in diameter) has discolored, split, and peeled away from the tree! I've attached pictures of the collateral damage (?). I have carefully read the label of AntOut: warning against ingestion & irritation in eyes, but is said to be safe (my daughter) and instructions actually say to spread it around trees and shurbs!

Have I damaged my tree with the silicon dioxide, and how should I go about treating the wound? Should I apply some sort of protective wrap, especially approaching Canadian Fall/Winter season.

Am I jumping to assumptions, could this be something other than the ant treatment?? In either case your suggestions in appropriate treatment of the Crimson King (and ants!) are much appreciated.

Mike

Brent Ferris

Isn't silicon dioxide used for drying flowers? THis would mean it is a natural desiccant, which would absorb water from the rootball killing the tree? If so, scrape away all the soil you can that has been contaminated with this stuff, add good soil and water well.
Ants like many insects breathe thru spiracles - tubes in the side of the bodies. So a layer of fine dusty material like baking powder, is sucked into their inner body and suffocates them. However, I would not put baking soda around a tree.

Typically ants go out and look for food, and bring it back to the nest. And ants populating a tree mound, while not common is not necessarily bad. Their nest will aerate the ground (good for roots) , and the ants will run thru the tree removing eggs, and small pests - also good for the tree.

My advice would be to let the ants and the tree live in harmony. The ants will eventually leave, and the tree will very likely live on no worse for the temporary symbiotic relationship.

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lkz5ia

This species and cultivars are very susceptible to sunscald, so you might be having a problem with that. This happens in winter, but you may have just noticed the problem with the bark peeling away, exposing the injury.