Managing lopsided oak

[treelooker]

This white oak (the one in back) lost a neighbor to the right (west) in 1996. Owners want to know what should be done with it. Ground is soft on downhill (south) side, where decay is evident in sinuses. crusty stuff in one of them looks like hypoxylon . (1st pic) Circling root visible on north side, seems to be originating where groundcover covers buttress root. (2nd pic, sorry about lack of light.)

How to judge condition?
What works to carry out? Owners value the tree, and have a budget to work with.
3rd pic is my guess with probable pruning option. fo rsome reason the pic without Paint would not upload, while it did at that other vbulletin site ok.

 

[rumination]

Looks like a reasonable pruning prescription to me, based on what I can see in the photos and the possibility of root instability. It does seem like you could be a little less aggressive on that lowest lateral, maybe make the cut at the next node outwards? Hard to see 3 dimensions in a flat photo...

 

[MasterBlaster]

True dat.

 

[treelooker]

good point Leon; 2D that lateral looks like it's curving back in, but it may be actually curving to the south. If it has room to grow we might take your advice. If the roots are mushy then we may go harder at the apex.

white oaks shut stomata midsummer, which makes them drought resistant, but also susceptible to root rot. an aggravating factor; that circling root indicates root damage and compaction on the north side, probably from when they were moving out the fallen neighbor 18 years ago.
r u in nm or hk?

o and mb i tried 3 times to upload the other pic; any tips for next time that happens?

 

[rumination]

Guy, I'm still in HK, but heading back to NM in a few days.

 

[MasterBlaster]

No tips, Guy. I've never had a problem uploading pics.

Are you holding your mouth right?

 

[treelooker]

That must be it; i'll stick my tongue in my other cheek.

 

[MasterBlaster]

It's not a tongue thing.

 

[treelooker]

so which hand do i use to hold my mouth?

sounds slippery.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I guess you've never heard that saying. It's something my dad said to me...

No biggie!

 

[Thillmaine]

Id cut the lowest lateral back a little less. It m experience that they like to shed the lowest limb once its been reduced too far (short). I almost always leave them the longest on the tree, to ensure they get sunlight and maintain their status as a productive limb. It appears there are a few options to cut back to, us the next upright out, or even the one after that.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Welcome to the TreeHouse, Thillmaine! Gotta first name? Mine is Butch.

Welcome!

 

[Thillmaine]

Butch, also my fathers name. Yes sir, I have a name, they call me Todd. Thanks for the welcome.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Make yourself at home, Todd!

 

[Tucker943]

aaaannnnnnddddd........ say it Butch.

 

[MasterBlaster]

?

 

[Tucker943]

Fill out your profile.

 

[MasterBlaster]

That never hurts!

 

[Tucker943]

 

[treelooker]

Good call, Todd--that's exactly what the climber told me, and I agreed.