Question
Hi,
Your answers online are excellent (thank you).

My situation: believing our local tree-guy's "cut it down" answer is hard, since he wants our business.

Issue: We live in CT (zone 6).  The 2 dogwood trees in our front yard are 25+ years old.  (We're told the life expectancy is only 15 to 20.)  They leaf out, they flower, no dead limbs, they stand straight up, they look beautiful.  However the trunks are very hollow inside - only a few inches of outer bark remain, (but its been like this for 4 years).  But this leaves the concern that they'll come down in a wind storm.  Also they have insects (says the local tree guy).  The evidence, he showed me, is some pitting.

The tree guy says that they're going to come down - and he suggests he take them down before nature does.

My feeling: if the tree guy is right, I agree.  But is there anything we can do to save them?

Thank you, in advance,

David

Answer
Two questions here-
1. the tree sounds like it is healthy -foliage green and full and healthy looking, but the trunk is hollow. The living layer of cells are just under the bark and if a tree is wounded fungi can enter the wound and decay the woody (dead cells) of the bark. Over time this may hollow out the trunk but will not cause the tree health problems except that if the decay get extensive enough COULD cause the trunk to break during a wind storm.
2. Hazard tree--tree that are hollow can and will live many years in that condition. The discussion on if the tree needs to be removed centers on a couple of things. If these are branches breaking off and these are hollow the decay has grown up the trunk into the limbs and is extensive. IF the tree would fall would it hit or damage anything--house, building, car etc. If not the tree is not classified as a hazard tree and can be left.

I lean toward not removing a tree until it does fall unless the limbs are breaking off and these are hollow AND if it fell it would do damage to the house. As long as the tree is healthy looking I would leave it be. The hollow will not harm the tree. I would fertilize the tree this Fall with 10-10-10 fertilizer at the rate of 1 lb of fertilizer per inch of trunk diameter scattered around the tree and watered in good.

I would pass on cutting the tree right now. IF it falls from a storm then you can make the decision about removing or not. By the ay--I would never take the advice from a "tree Guy" unless he was a Certified Arborest or Forester.