QuestionHi, Jim: I noticed that the bark around the trunk(near the root) of my 30 years old Japanese Maple tree start getting loss last year and a quarter of the bark already gone during the last winter, I am not sure what cause the problem and need your help. thanks.
AnswerSounds like you may have a insect called a borer infesting your tree. Spray the trunk with an insecticide called Merit. This will kill the borer. Merit can be found at a local nursery/ garden type store.
Borers usually attack if the tree is under stress. I would recommend that you fertilize the tree with 10-10-10 fertilizer at the rate of 1 lb per inch of trunk diameter scattered around the tree and water in good.
