nchris@iastate.edu
March 20, 2013
It's time to get the blog going again for the spring. If anyone out there would like to submit something, let me know.
The following blog post is from Tim Christians, Superintendent of Makray Memorial Golf Club,in Barrington, Il.
From Tim Christians:
Diagnosing Tree Defects
Today while removing trees that had been affected by Imprelis Herbicide, I came upon an Ash tree that showed significant internal defects. I was able to determine this by the presence of fruiting bodies on the tree.
This image shows fungus on the crotch of the tree. Fungus present on any tree is usually a sign of internal decayThere are many reasons for a tree to begin to decay. In the situation of the tree found today it was due to poor trimming techniques that left the tree prone to attack by insects and other pathogens.
This image shows a trimming cut that has failed to properly heal. Inspection of the tree showed numerous trimming cuts of this nature
The fruiting bodies present on the tree are only a sign of what truly is happening inside the tree however. Inspection of the wood of the tree showed soft rot affecting much of the structure of the canopy. The removal of areas affected by soft rot however will not save this tree. The wounds to remove these areas were so large that the tree would not be able to properly heal.
The above images are of the internal decay that was affecting the tree. You can see distinct patterns of the rot and see how the soft rot has compromised the heartwood of the tree.At Makray Memorial Golf Club, we strongly believe that trees serve a significant purpose in the environment of the club grounds. Many of these trees have been alive long before the golf course ever existed. However we can not save all the trees from disease, failure or decay. We diagnose all trees with defects to determine if saving them is within the realm of possibility. Any tree that poses immediate risk to any employee or patron is immediately removed. If you have any questions in regard to tree safety and failure, you can contact me at tchristians@makraygolf.com
Thanks, and hopefully we will be out on the course soon
Timothy Christians
Head Golf Course Superintendent
tchristians@makraygolf.com
Posted in Arboriculture
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