What is this, and what do I do about it?
- Thread starter LostInTheWoods
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LostInTheWoods
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jinman
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I'm tempted to ask if you noticed the problem after working in the area with your tractor and FEL
, but I'm sure it's not that simple. I've lost several postoak trees and they almost always show signs of stress by shedding bark. Some survive and some die. Has it been a very wet or very dry year in your area? Oaks are pretty sensitive to moisture changes, especially big ones.
, but I'm sure it's not that simple. I've lost several postoak trees and they almost always show signs of stress by shedding bark. Some survive and some die. Has it been a very wet or very dry year in your area? Oaks are pretty sensitive to moisture changes, especially big ones.
ToadHill
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All of the pictures look like something hit the tree and damaged the bark. The bark in the first two pictures has begun to form a scab and will eventually cover the damaged area.
Sometimes in northern states trees will take up moisture on a warm January of February day "thinking" its spring and when the weather gets cold at night the moisture freezes and splits the bark, but those splits are long and are usually found on the north side of the tree.
Your examples all look like something made contact with the bark with enough force to cause damage to it.
Sometimes in northern states trees will take up moisture on a warm January of February day "thinking" its spring and when the weather gets cold at night the moisture freezes and splits the bark, but those splits are long and are usually found on the north side of the tree.
Your examples all look like something made contact with the bark with enough force to cause damage to it.
studor
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Is it on the south side of the tree and did you have an unusual winter with quick freeze thaw conditions?
Egon
Epic Contributor
How high up the tree is it?
OP
LostInTheWoods
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I'm tempted to ask if you noticed the problem after working in the area with your tractor and FEL
I appreciate the diplomatic way you phrased that.
While there has been another incident with the new FEL which shall go unnamed at this time , the trees aren't directly suffering from my tractor skills.More to follow....
Gem99ultra
Elite Member
Sorry, I can't tell you what is wrong with the tree. BUT - I had a very nice one recently that did exactly the same thing. After babying it for 3 years, including sealing the wounds, fertilizing, etc. it still didn't make it. I did find some carpenter ants in that area but I'm not sure that they killed the tree.
Unfortunately, I had built a very nice deck surrounding the tree. The tree originally made a nice centerpiece though.
My advice is to seal the wounds if you want to try to keep the trees, but I don't know much else to do for it other than give it water if needed. Thanks for posting this problem; I'll be watching this thread to learn...
Jim
Unfortunately, I had built a very nice deck surrounding the tree. The tree originally made a nice centerpiece though.
My advice is to seal the wounds if you want to try to keep the trees, but I don't know much else to do for it other than give it water if needed. Thanks for posting this problem; I'll be watching this thread to learn...
Jim
ToadHill
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I hate to contridict Gem99, but research has shown the sealing up wounds in trees is the wrong thing to do. You need to leave it exposed , carefully trim away loose bark, keep the tree fertilized and hydrated, and hope for the best.
To correct my previous post, sun split damage occurs on the "south" side of the tree.
To correct my previous post, sun split damage occurs on the "south" side of the tree.
OP
LostInTheWoods
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OK. A little more background. I first noticed a few spots like these about three years ago, come to think of it. Just here and there on a couple of trees. I thought maybe they had been tapped by the dozer when we had our house built about that time.
No doubt, the trees were stressed by the construction/changing the grade of the land around them. I've heard oaks are not happy when you mess with the grade around them (which, come to think about it, I'd imagine that applies to most trees). Then we had two years of moderate drought, followed by the worst ice storm in Kentucky's recorded history this past winter. I'd say that this spring and summer have been wetter than normal.
As far as where these spots are located on the trees, I'd say most are from three to six feet off the ground. And, I'd say most probably are on the southern face of the trees.
On one tree (the third picture in first post), I saw some black discoloration next to where the bark is fraying. Kind of looks like mold/mildew/fungus. Did not really notice much of that on the other trees, though.
No doubt, the trees were stressed by the construction/changing the grade of the land around them. I've heard oaks are not happy when you mess with the grade around them (which, come to think about it, I'd imagine that applies to most trees). Then we had two years of moderate drought, followed by the worst ice storm in Kentucky's recorded history this past winter. I'd say that this spring and summer have been wetter than normal.
As far as where these spots are located on the trees, I'd say most are from three to six feet off the ground. And, I'd say most probably are on the southern face of the trees.
On one tree (the third picture in first post), I saw some black discoloration next to where the bark is fraying. Kind of looks like mold/mildew/fungus. Did not really notice much of that on the other trees, though.
Egon
Epic Contributor
As has been suggested "Frost Action" may be the culprit.
OP
LostInTheWoods
Platinum Member
A google search led me to this. I had never heard of sun scale. Or frost crack. I suppose this could explain what is going on. I know that the night of the ice storm, there were "loud, rifle-shot sounds" all night long. Of course, a lot of that was branches as big as a man's thigh snapping off and falling through the canopy to the ground. Or even whole trees toppling over. Had a couple of trees that were nearly as big around as telephone poles snap 15-20 feet above the ground.
There's no mention in this report of oaks and hickories, though.
Trees: Maple Tree Bark Split, cold winter weather, silver maple tree
There's no mention in this report of oaks and hickories, though.
Trees: Maple Tree Bark Split, cold winter weather, silver maple tree
dodge man
Super Star Member
Deer will often rub on trees and cause damage, but usually they are smaller trees.
studor
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I think freezing damage as well -- the tree warms on the south side by the sun, actually starts sap flowing then freezes and damages the tree. The damage is usually where the sun hits the tree for the longest period of time. Generally the tree will be ok but in some cases it will die off. You can stop it on trees you really want to protect by putting a board up in front of the sunny side to shade the tree. The bad ice storm we had here in 98 is still killing trees on my property -- the tops snapped off and slowly the tree rots or gets infected, then 11 years later the tree is standing dead.
jinman
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The real problem with trees is trying to find out what caused the original problem and not get confused with after-effects. For example, you can see sapsucker damage on a tree and think that is what caused the problem, but it is really that the tree is in stress and producing more sugars which draws in the sapsucker. Doing everything to maintain the good health of a tree will often make it resistive to bugs and other problems. Many times the things we see first on trees are results rather than the original problem.
I know this didn't help much, it's just my little rant.
EDIT: Around my house, I have several postoak trees that are in stress and have yellowing leaves. When I look out over my woods, I don't see those problems. It's obvious that my building a house and putting in a lawn is not what these trees prefer. They like to be left alone with brush and undergrowth that has been there for eons before I arrived with my "bright" idea of building a house in the middle of them.
I know this didn't help much, it's just my little rant.
EDIT: Around my house, I have several postoak trees that are in stress and have yellowing leaves. When I look out over my woods, I don't see those problems. It's obvious that my building a house and putting in a lawn is not what these trees prefer. They like to be left alone with brush and undergrowth that has been there for eons before I arrived with my "bright" idea of building a house in the middle of them.
OP
LostInTheWoods
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I don't think its deer in this case. All these trees are relatively close to the house. Our German Shepherd doesn't tolerate other animals on (or under) his turf, so the deer tend to keep their distance. The count so far is Dog 5, Moles and Possum 0. The other wildlife is smart enough not to get too close.
What's interesting about that is the local wildlife seem to have caught on pretty quickly just how far he can go in the yard. He can get about 120 feet or so from the house on his wireless collar. The deer and turkey will leisurely stroll through the yard just outside his range. They just know he won't go any further.
/pine
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any chance you noticed this after an electrical storm...I've seen similar looking symptoms on Live Oaks after they've being struck by lightning...
OP
LostInTheWoods
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Don't think it is lightning, either. If it were just one or two trees, I could believe it. But there are 15 + trees I've seen just in and around the edge of the yard. And I haven't even looked around the rest of the property.
Damage from this past winter's ice storm seems to make sense as the most likely culprit, now that some others have mentioned the possibility. Maybe something else is contributing....insects or fungus taking advantage of ice damage, perhaps.
