Hello, Julie!

I am so sorry to hear about your tree. It looks like it has sustained a great deal of damage to the bark near the root flare. This area is very important to tree health because just below the surface of that protective bark is a transport system to move nutrients and water between the roots and the leaves to keep the tree alive and healthy. Any damage to the bark can cause damage to the tree. If the damage effectively removes the bark all around the tree trunk, even if it is in separate repetitive sections, this is known as ‘girdling’ and the tree will ultimately die. If the wounds are not girdling the tree, the open wounds still provide an area that is open to wood-rotting organisms and decay fungi.

It seems the best thing that you can do right now is wait and watch as the tree uses a great deal of energy to try to seal off the wounds. In addition, here are some ways that you can support the tree by giving it the best chance for survival.

• Remove the weeds from around the tree.
• Mulch under the tree’s canopy. This will help your tree conserve water, help keep its roots cool, eliminate competition for water and nutrients from the nearby weeds or grass. Additionally, it is a visual barrier that help keep string weeders away from the tree trunk. Here is an information article about mulching your tree. Note that there are great instructions as to best practices for mulching a tree. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/mulch_just_do_it
• Water the tree in periods of drought. Keep the water away from the trunk, gently soaking into the soil.
• In the winter, consider adding a tree guard to the trunk to prevent winter damage from temperature changes and animal activity.

An additional resource that you may find helpful about mower and string trimmer damage:

https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/fnr/fnr-492-w.pdf

Wishing you the best with your tree. I hope this is helpful!

Thank you Linda. I know it’s difficult to see in the pictures but there is about a 2 foot diameter ring of cedar chip mulch under the tree. It’s from last year and needs a clean up and renewal. I was hoping there would be some sort of treatment I could put on the bark to help seal it while still allowing healing growth to occur. I’m also aware of the fluid system under the bark which is why I reached out to try to treat the tree with something protective to help it heal.  The lawn cutting service has been dismissed because of the damage. All the owner had to say was that the tree looked rotten and there’s no way the weed whip could cause that much damage and he’s never seen that happen blah blah blah. Is there any sealing type treatment I can apply to keep out pathogens etc and help keep it from drying out and falling off?

Hello again, Julie!

Thank you for doing everything you can for your tree! An injured tree’s response to an injury is to compartmentalize the wound. It does this by producing specialized cells that will work to seal the wound and cells that strengthen the wood by forming a callus. Callus tissue develops at the edge of wounds and grows towards the center. You can likely find many trees in your neighborhood that have developed calluses from pruning, it is the same thing that we want your tree to do for those wounds caused by the string weeder. Once the new calluses are formed they remain on your tree for life and help to protect your tree from decay pathogens. In the past, homeowners would treat tree wounds by applying tree paint. We have since learned that sealants are often detrimental (even though you may still see them on the store shelves) as they impede callus formation. In addition, these products seal in moisture and encourages decay. (The exception to sealants is when an oak tree has been wounded during the time of year when they are at high risk for the beetle damage that causes oak tree wilt.)

We want the tree to heal quickly – and the best way to do that is to give it the best growing conditions that we can provide. And you are already on top of that! Here’s a bit more info for helping trees with wounds:

https://www.purdue.edu/fnr/extension/tree-wounds-and-healing/

You may want to consider having this tree assessed by a certified arborist, a professional who has taken training in care, diseases, pests and passed certification tests. This professional would come to the site of your tree and provide a complete diagnosis and a plant care plan. You can find a certified arborist at: treesaregood.org

I sure hope this helps and that your tree is able to grow and thrive again.