Discovered a 50 year old oak had root rot after a storm last Tuesday in Portland

I was out checking a client's property after that big wind came through and found the whole root system was mush underneath, which made me wonder how many of my other jobs have hidden decay I'm just not catching.

2 comments

2 Comments

morgan_bailey9315d ago

That "hidden decay" part really hits home. It's not just oaks either, I've seen it in maples and firs that looked fine from the outside. The thing is, by the time you spot visible signs like mushrooms or cracked bark, the damage is already way advanced. Most arborists use a rubber mallet to tap the trunk and listen for a hollow sound, but that's not foolproof. Some guys are starting to use resistograph drills to check core samples without hurting the tree too much. It's pricey equipment but beats losing a whole tree or having one come down on a house.

hayden14415d ago

The tap test is pretty reliable if you know what you're listening for, but a resistograph is definitely the next level. I'd trust that over just tapping any day.

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