Had a homeowner argue with me about a dead oak for 20 minutes

I was out in Arlington last Tuesday looking at this massive red oak on a residential street. The thing was clearly gone, no leaves on top, bark falling off in sheets. The guy kept saying 'it'll leaf out in spring' even though it was July. I showed him the mushrooms growing at the base and he still didn't budge. Has anyone else had a customer fight you on a tree that's obviously toast?

2 comments

2 Comments

allen.amy15d ago

Hear me out, but I Actually think this homeowner might have a point. Not about the tree being alive, but about pushing back so hard. I've seen plenty of oaks that look DEAD in July but are just holding onto a thin thread of life. You'd be surprised what a deep watering and some patience can do. The mushrooms at the base don't always mean the whole tree is gone, sometimes they just mean the heartwood is rotting but the outer ring is still trucking along. If it's not a danger to the house or sidewalk, I say let it sit for another season. You might be right that it's toast, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it without giving it one more year.

brooke53315d ago

oh man, i bet that oak has been dropping limbs on his car for years and he still thinks it's fine lol. the real angle here is maybe he's attached to the tree for sentimental reasons like it was planted by a family member or something. sometimes people fight you on removal because they're actually fighting the idea of losing that memory, not the tree itself.