Please help save my maple trees! *Pics Included*

Glazedham42

Hello tree experts,

I have grown increasingly worried about the three maples at my house, and I believe one of them may be nearing its end if I don't take action soon. I believe that they are all sugar maple trees, from the best of my limited knowledge. I have attached some pictures to help with identification. Please see the attachments below. I can provide any additional information needed as well. Here's the story....

My wife and I moved into our house in East Central Indiana about two years ago this coming August. The house has a very nice yard with three towering old maples, that provide great shade to the house and yard. The trees are one of the things that really drew me to the house. The house was built in the 50s sometime, so I believe the trees to be about 50-60 years old. There are two maples out in front of the house by the street, and the third big guy is in the backyard by himself. There is also a stump in the front yard, from what used to be a fourth maple tree. I am guessing that it was killed by some kind of disease after seeing what is happening to my other trees.

Last summer I noticed that one of the two trees in the front yard had a rather large dead branch near the top of the tree. It had no foliage on it, and looked rather dry. Seeing as I have no equipment to remove it, I left it alone for the time being. I figured it was merely a dead branch, and thought nothing more of it. This spring the tree looks much worse. There are several leafless branches now on multiple limbs. It is no longer an isolated incident. There are also big circular patches that look like some type of fungus. There are many of them on the sickest tree, and the second tree in the front yard it starting to show a couple as well.

I was chatting with the neighbor across the street today, and he said he had to cut his maple down a year or two ago. He claimed that it had the same round fungus spots all over the outside before it died. The biggest and prettiest tree in my backyard appears to be fine at this point, but I'm a little worried about the two in the front. I'd hate to lose any of these trees, let alone all three of them. I'd like to do whatever I can to identify what is wrong with my tree(s) and get them healthy again.

I had also wondered briefly if they were experiencing some kind of ill effects from road salt, seeing as they are right at the side of the road. However, all the other trees up and down the street are in good health, so I sort of ruled that out. Is there some kind of maple disease spreading around my neighborhood?


















Please help!! Thanks in advance....
Jamie
Glazedham42

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Eric Frei

Those patches look like run of the mill lichen to me, they wont hurt the tree, you see them on rocks too! They dont hurt your tree, remember that regardless of what some "expert" reckons.

That tree is suffering some serious root abuse.

Trees need root space, that poor bastid started life with half of what he was entilted to due to the road, then along came the concrete path to constrict the other side a little then along came the competative lawn.

No wonder the poor bastid has said "stuff it I'll slowly snuff it".

Jeez, people think you just need a trunk in the ground, roots are a PITA and best weed whacked and mowed over, and fertilize the great lawn for green coz it's gotta beat the bloke next door and hey ... cant have weeds so put some of the broad leaf weed sprays on. Then with a bit of luck one dog that walked past pissed on the flamin trunk, then the whole neighbourhood of dogs started a competition thinking who's piss stinks best and the soil around the tree probably has such a toxic pH level the tree cant take up what little nutrients it has.

Poor tree.

But looks like it's councils problem anyway. Errr that reminds me, councils work on an average 50 years out of abused street trees, that tree has lasted beyond average!

... great pics and well executed post, good on ya mate.

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Glazedham42

So are you saying there's no hope for the tree? Is there anything I could do to help it? Am I better off letting it die, and in the meanwhile planting a new tree somewhere else in the yard to replace it?

Jamie

Eric Frei

I suggest you get a rather competent tree caring arborist on site and have the tree diagnosed and dealt with. The window of opportunity is closing, fast.

There's too much going on and to do at this stage for me to guess and speculate, however in the above facetious post the truths were laid.

Read the link below

http://www.treeworld.info/f29/why-tr...ycle-6308.html

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Glazedham42

My dog has a tendency to kill the grass in the yard with his urine. He very rarely urinates by this tree though. In an attempt to keep him from killing the entire yard I spread some lime throughout the front yard last spring, and again this spring. Have I killed this tree by screwing up the pH of the soil with the lime? Or is this tree just destined to die based on its location? Could I get a soil pH test kit somewhere?

I assumed he was making the yard very acidic with his urine and the lime would counteract it. Is it possible that I'm euthanizing my tree in an effort to save the grass?

Jamie

Eric Frei

My answers are in red.

Jamie, if the tree means so much to you then hire a competent qualified arborist, alternatively if it is a council owned tree then report it so it can be diagnosed and dealt with. When a tree enters the decline phase there's many things to do and check, and it has to be done in the field.

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Gunslinger

Is dog urine damaging trees species specific? I have seen trees outside of apartment buildings in New York that are urinated on at least 50 times a day by canines without an noticeable affect on the trees. I'm sure that this is happening all over the place in big blacktop jungles with no grass for dogs to roam.

Garry Brockley

No gunslinger it's the lime that will effect the ph of the soil when put down at regular intervals, dog urine is just high in ammoinia, a nitrogen rich fertiliser, some people believe the urine is acidic but its actually just over feeding of the grass. old wives tales win again. the best thing for dog urine is water on the area they pee this dilutes the nitrogen and spreads it out across a larger area.

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TreeCo

It may be Verticillium wilt

Verticillium Wilt of Trees and Shrubs

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Grow more vegetables!

pcarborist

That was my first thought but the photo of the healthy leaves threw me through a loop. If the leaves start to curl, dry or turn an abnormal red and yellow color in the June that would confirm it. From the photo, it does appear there has been damage to the roots in the past.

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parkcityarborist