Advice for this tree?

This red oak (Texas) just lost a branch during a storm, as you can see with the cut stump (it is just now being painted with Spectricide paint as I write this!). The branch had the bark peeling from it, as you see with the other branch. This branch I'm questioning is a lot larger, and I would have to hire a tree guy to cut it for me, and people charge about 500. here to do this! My question: from the bark peeling down into the OTHER healthy part of the tree...will this damage the healthy part? I'm sure the answer is yes, but just hate to part with 500. since I'm close to retirement and am trying to save money!! Is it too late for the entire tree?

Forgot to add that we painted the raw parts with the Spec. too...hope that was good! Here is a pic of the entire tree.... A tree surgeon told us about 4 years ago that these trees are VERY old, but we treated them with "vitamins" and he said they might live another 20 years...but now the bark is peeling...

You may get other opinions but that doesn't look all that bad to me. Healthy oaks and other trees can heal themselves. All I can tell you is if it was mine I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Killda...thanks so much! That's what I was hoping to hear...others?

Yeah, if it were mine too, I'd let it heal itself, it doesn't look like a tree-ender to me either.
I believe Red Oaks get around 125 years old, unless its in old photos, and looking all old and gnarly, it could have many years left!

I hate being the lone dissenter here. Note that the other branch of that smaller trunk shown is also beginning to crack. Have you tried removing the bark and dead cambium layer in the damaged area? Looking at the bark, is that dark area running down the length of the smaller trunk an artifact or is it real?

That tree has got to have been under stress since the pool was put in. Was the soil excavated in order to put the pool in or was a ledge there already. If soil was removed, then almost 50% of the root system was removed. If the other 50% of the surface is paved over, then the tree is truly stressed. A stressed tree can fall prey to all sorts of diseases. It also means that the roots may be starving for oxygen. I don't think this is a healthy tree. If you want to try to save that smaller trunk, remove all the damaged bark back to healthy cambium. Look under the dark streaks of bark for further damage. You have access to the Texas Forest Service as well TAMU's AgriLife. Take advantage of it. Austin has an Urban AgriLife agent, Skip Richter, a very knowledgeable inividual. An agent from the Texas Forest Service may be willing to go look at your trees. La Grange has a field office and I was able to get someone to come take a look at a number of water oaks that were dying here on the ranch.

Here's a link to the Texas Forest Service. Click on Travis County for more information:
http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/main/article.aspx?ctrl=13

This link is for TAMU's AgriLife Cooperative Extension. Click on Locations in the Menu Bar. A map will pop up. Then click on County Offices Listing for the office in Travis County. The office is in Austin.
http://texasextension.tamu.edu/

I had an answer all written and it disappeared! So, in short...Betty, under the steps there is NO concrete...all steel structure to help the tree. The lawn was already sloping, so very little excavation was done. The dark places are just dark bark. I'll make contact tomorrow with your references...THANKS SO MUCH! @ shortleaf: I took the pics today, so they show accurate age.

I usually type posts in Notepad then paste them to here. Or at the least if I write in here I'll highlite it all and do "copy" so at least I can paste it if I need to. If I had a dollar for every post I lost I'd be rich!
Hehe.. I meant like cowboys and indians old, old black and white photos maybe from previous residents there. I never questioned the date of your photographs, you silly!
Good point about the digging, that didn't occur to me before, digging up too many roots if it was the case, could slowly kill a tree.

This message was edited Jul 29, 2010 1:34 PM