dead oak top

Garry Brockley

hi guys need some ideas on pruning the top of this turkey oak
the customer wants to save it
it sits on the edge of a ditch in a field of horses there is no chewing marks on the base just the barbed wire hammered into it
it has completely died at the top and so has major limb failure at the top
there is healthygrowth in all other parts of the tree with the usual dead limb or two you get with these trees.
it was hard to get better pictures due to being closely bordered by two other oaks im going down there today so i might climb it and take a closer look.
Imo the trees to the left and right will slowly out grow and smother this one but your opinions and questions are very welcome.

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Eric Frei

All I can say is cut to target in healthy wood, near the uppermost stem cut, reduce any big branches so they dont tear out when the stem rots a bit.

Slowly over time it will be a reduction process IMHO, as it shrink the others grow, such is life in the forest.

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treeseer

Yup, reducing the side branches back to upright laterals to aid reiteration and stability is key .

dguntertrees

Hi Galbee,

It might be worthwhile looking at Treeworks website for info on retrenchment pruning. Keeping the horses away from the base of the tree would be a good idea too, in order to minimise compaction.

kiwi_tree_steve

im wondering if after pruning out the dead top, to growth point, instead of removing more branches , would a brace system be an option, for those larger branches?

Something non invasive, like GEFFA, or Cobra. these systems seem to be in place "in case of a branch failing", the Cobra. system comes with a shock absorbing component, allowing the tree its natural movement, when installing it you create a growth loop, that allows the tree to grow out, (i think 6 years growth) eliminating the need to come back year after year to adjust your non invasive brace.

i may be way off track, but you mentioned the customers wants to keep the tree, and im all for these new ideas and options

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Garry Brockley

great input guys thank you ive got a plan in mind now for the work to done. just have to sell the long term care to the customer
i climbed it today very carefully this is the top 12 feet it is dead and dry above the right hand branch and serious hangers over the road stressing a large limb, if the wind keeps up here it will come down like a pack of cards

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blair duncanson

Does the site the trees are growing in hold much water?

Garry Brockley

3ft wide base 1ft deep in water

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Eric Frei

What do you mean, the tree is sitting in 1' deep water?

Nasty top and nasty wounds.

My idea

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TreeSpecialist

The first picture looked like it might be an animal problem. The later pictures looked more like a lightning strike that caused the severe die back in the crown.

Very poor compartmentalizers, Turkey oaks need to be evaluated with respect to a target should they fail.

Ekka's recommendations make the most sense if the tree doesn't have a target. If it could fall away from the row crops and hit a house, car, etc. removal is a consideration as this tree will never be a strong tree.

Crown reduction in years to come will be necessary as this tree will only get weaker structurally .

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newguy18

I agree with Ekka,if they really want to save it then reduce and thin,if they think its to much risk take it down.

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old schooler

Garry Brockley

ive just sold them that idea to reduce back and maintain in the future. just waiting for a decision now they are addamant that they want to keep it but with all of these winds and rain coming in at the moment we will have to see if they change their minds WHEN more of the top comes out.

i was going to cut it to the next limb down to reduce the rot left in the top im not happy with the right hand limb being attached to so much rot even when its been reduced. do you think this would be too much to take off? this is a wierd situation for me iv'e never had backup ideas given before, its great to get the views of others to formulate a plan.
the tree sits at the top of the bank of the ditch so no it doesn't sit in water thankfully
i agree this could well be a lightning strike looking around at the tops of neighbouring trees there is damage on the tree either side facing this tree.

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blair duncanson

Anytime i have come across Q. cerris or Q. robur, with its feet regularly in water, it is either in serious decline or standing dead. Unsure of the process that causes such but i have learnt that Oak defintely do not like over wet roots. There are some areas on the west coast of Scotland, which retain much water. Oak does establish there but seems that after perhaps say 70yrs they seem to give up and die. On purely that observtion i'd prob remove whole tree. Anyone with any ideas why Quercus are so sensitive to wet roots. It does make quite a view, all these standing dead Oak and of course the beasties love it.

newguy18

We really don't have much of that kind of problem around here since we have sandy soil with the odd clay patch here and there.Heart rot and root rot seem to be in a good 90 percent of the oaks around here.Some are real bad like 80-90 percent compromised and still alive.

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old schooler

Eric Frei

Yes, I considered that too, as shown by the yellow line.

However there's some decent ribbing below the higher branch, and if that branch is drastically reduced it shouldn't blow off too easily and still feed the ribbing and keep the rot away from the bigger lower branch.

If you cut where the yellow line is it will rot, a large wound with no protection just above that left branch.

I feel by cutting to the higher red line you'll delay the columnar rot and salvage that top longer, the top right branch a severe reduction but you must leave foliage and the lower left branch a moderate reduction.

With these two branches left to feed the cambium there's chance of a longer survival. Also that ribbing is near 360 degree intact just above the larger lower branch, that my friend is the only decent chance there is for some containment of decay and strength, cutting through that rib will open up a larger pandoras box.

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Garry Brockley

Good point well made

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