Question
We have several 11 to 9 year old red maples with circumferential bark damage that we are realizing is due to not-so-careful grass cutting with the John Deere lawn tractor. The bark at ground level of three of the trees has split and come off almost completely and the leaves are falling. I have found lichens and insects along the trunk. We have stopped using the lawn tractor around the trees & really want to save them. Please help! Teri W.

Answer
It will depend on the extent of the damage-if the damage is all the way around the tree trunk the tree has little chance to live but if only part of the trunk is damaged it maybe ok. Water will be the limiting factor- need to make sure the tree has 1 inch of water each week. Place a pan under the tree and water when the pan has 1 inch of water in it stop. I would also contact the Alabama Forestry Commission office and ask Derrick Heckman the Forester to come out and take a look. His contact information is:
Alabama Forestry Commission
Address: 18909 US Hwy 411
City: Springville, AL 36853
Phone:(205) 629-6421
You can tell him I sent you--I retired from the Forestry Commission last year. This is a free service.
Jim Hyland