Old timer in Oregon taught me to read the bark not the leaves

He said stop looking up so much and feel the trunk for decay, and now I check every maple by running my hand down the south side first - has anyone else had an old pro change how you look at a tree?

2 comments

2 Comments

finley7771mo ago

Hold on, did he say why the south side specifically? I've heard the south side takes the most sun damage and dries out faster, but I never thought about running my hand down it to check for rot. Is it because the south side's bark is thinner or something, or does decay show up there first in his experience? I want to try this on the old oaks behind my house but I need to know what I'm actually feeling for, like is it soft spots or cracking or what.

xena_miller311mo agoTop Commenter

Oh man, I feel you on this. My grandpa had a massive old maple on his land that looked fine from the outside but was hollow as a drum on the south side, you could literally push your thumb through the bark when you got up close. It's not just about the bark being thinner, it's that the constant sun baking and freezing cycles make the south side expand and contract way more, and that cracks the bark open over time. Those tiny cracks let water and fungus get in, so rot can start hiding under what looks like solid bark. What you're feeling for is any spot that gives way like a soft bruise or feels spongy, and sometimes you'll find little splits or peeling patches that look normal but aren't. Have you tried tapping on the trunk with a rubber mallet yet, that's another good trick for finding dead spots?