You’re in luck today. I was an ISA Certified Arborist for 15 years and took a lot of classes on this stuff. I have successfully helped some trees heal from large wounds. You’re fortunate that it’s a white oak. Clean out all that dirt and sand. You’ll need to patch the openings with slabs of white oak heartwood if you have some that large. Cut back the edge of the callus wood that’s surrounding the holes. Callus is the tree trying to heal but since the opening is too wide it can’t…it needs wood to think it’s covering up its own wood. So cut back the edges into live bark of the callus and trace a pattern of this to transfer onto a slab of white oak at least 1.5” thick but I would go for 2”. Cut that out and get it fitted into your wound as tight as possible. The tree will begin healing up that wound from that live callus that you cut into all the way around. Leave the wood bare…no tar and no sealer. If it’s able to callus completely over before the slab of oak rots then great. If not, it should be so long from now that at least the callus should be close to closing up the wound and you would be able to cut that out and start over with a much smaller spot. Just get all that soil and sand out and leave that cavity empty. Dry wood doesn’t rot as much. I’ve healed maples using this technique and yeas I used white oak for the filler. They don’t know the difference. But you know the rot resistant properties of white oak.
I'd vacuum it out....then score/scrape all of the inside....then cover the entire hole with a sheet metal and screw it into the tree....check it occasionally to make sure the tree is filling itself in. 😊
It’s badass to have one of these on your property.
You’re in luck today. I was an ISA Certified Arborist for 15 years and took a lot of classes on this stuff. I have successfully helped some trees heal from large wounds. You’re fortunate that it’s a white oak.
Clean out all that dirt and sand. You’ll need to patch the openings with slabs of white oak heartwood if you have some that large. Cut back the edge of the callus wood that’s surrounding the holes. Callus is the tree trying to heal but since the opening is too wide it can’t…it needs wood to think it’s covering up its own wood. So cut back the edges into live bark of the callus and trace a pattern of this to transfer onto a slab of white oak at least 1.5” thick but I would go for 2”. Cut that out and get it fitted into your wound as tight as possible. The tree will begin healing up that wound from that live callus that you cut into all the way around. Leave the wood bare…no tar and no sealer. If it’s able to callus completely over before the slab of oak rots then great. If not, it should be so long from now that at least the callus should be close to closing up the wound and you would be able to cut that out and start over with a much smaller spot.
Just get all that soil and sand out and leave that cavity empty. Dry wood doesn’t rot as much.
I’ve healed maples using this technique and yeas I used white oak for the filler. They don’t know the difference. But you know the rot resistant properties of white oak.
Wow! I really appreciate the help. That is exactly what I needed to know. I appreciate you taking the time to tell me all that information.
@@tennesseetimber Hope it works! It should.
That tree is awesome!
Thank you! Thanks for watching
That was crazy! Hopefully you will find the right answers!
Thank you
Hope you figure it out!
Thank you!
I'd vacuum it out....then score/scrape all of the inside....then cover the entire hole with a sheet metal and screw it into the tree....check it occasionally to make sure the tree is filling itself in. 😊
Great idea! Thank you
Probably to stop animals from nesting..racoons etc..