I have a maple tree with a 2” thick trunk. However most of the trunk has died (probably 80%). There is a live vein in the trunk that is supporting healthy branches and new growth.
Any suggestions about what I should do, if anything, with the dead part of the trunk as it is starting to rot.
Should I remove the dead part of the trunk to or close to the live vein? If so will the live vein eventually develop bark?
Keep it growing probably make a nice deadwood feature. Show us some pictures.
I would promote strong growth of the living branches to maintain the strength of the live portion and to build some taper.
I would remove the obviously rotted wood (my tool of choice would be my bent nose tweezers used as a pointed scraper). I would then allow it to dry a bit and treat with jin fluid (lime-sulfur) making sure to keep it off the live tissue and soil.
I would adjust my watering habits to only water the soil away from trunk to avoid wicking water into the trunk and causing further rot.
Here is one of my Japanese maples (A. palmatum) that had one side of the trunk die back about 10 years ago. I have not treated the deadwood, but it remains fairly soild and the live tissue is growing around the dead. I probably need to treat the deadwood and desicide if I want the wound to close or not.
