*No Guzzi/motorcycle content at all* My backyard tree

When I had my deck added to my backyard 16 yrs ago, this nice old tree was in the way, and we decided that we would build around it, rather than just cut it down.

Now, well in the last few years, it has developed this gash/hole on the side and it keeps getting deeper. What causes this and is there a way to correct it?


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YOUR DOOMED !!!!!!!

Obviously an evil spirit has entered the tree and is now using the root system to spread thru-out your property.  The first thing you will notice is all your chickens will die.

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Killing the spirit involves getting naked, painting yourself blue. wearing deer antlers on your head, beating on a drum as you circle the tree three times walking backward chanting "Fúgite spiritum pessimum" loudly. The neighbors will love it.



I guess we'll have to wait for Princess Blake to come up with the official answer, although mine is more interesting.    
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Your tree is doomed, but in tree years who knows how long it will manage to survive. It looks like the branching created several deep V's, over time water doesn't run off and the bark becomes soft, inviting all kinds of pests that like to eat trees. It also looks likes some old damage (storm, poor pruning?) caused cavities. I can't tell what kind of tree it is but the sawdust on the deck is a clear indicator of some kind of borer insect. They bore into the tree and lay their eggs, when the the larvae hatch they eat the tree from the inside. It could also be termites, nature's critter for breaking down dead wood. Some varieties of trees are very susceptible to borers, like birch.

There is no fix, cement and black goop do not work. If it is a birch variety, the very nature of that tree is short lived and quick growing. I would watch for die back of the top from the tips down or whole sections of the branching dying back. When that starts to happen I would reevaluate the situation. You can clean out the crevice but there may be critters living in there. You can look for the the round holes of the borer and shove a wire into the hole, hopefully killing the larvae. Futile with that size tree I suspect. The tree can live many many years like that.

It's always a risk keeping a damaged tree near the house, if you really value the tree call an arborist. I really don't think there is anything you can do. Tar and cement still allow the water in at the edges and actually trap it and the bugs in, it accelerates the process of decay.

Sorry for the bad news...
Laura

That's one sick tree. Had a plum in my deck and had to take it down when it was hit with a fungal infection. PITA removing it but better than having it take out the house and deck.

Guzziblake wrote:
 Some varieties of trees are very susceptible to borers, like birch.

Itsa birch

Nick wrote:

Guzziblake wrote:
 Some varieties of trees are very susceptible to borers, like birch.

Itsa birch

"Itsa Bircha",is that the Italian variety?