What options are there to help this tree?

[NorthWoodsDiver]

My girlfriend's family has this nice oak tree on their property in the Florida Pan handle. The tree wyes off about waist high and both sides are 16-18inches and the base is probably 36inches. Where the two trees meet there is a lot of soil and insects. The tree seemed happy and healthy until this year and then that split seemed to always be wet and leaking brown liquids. I'll attach a photo. My thought was to clean out the crevice and fill it with expanding polyurethane foam to keep water and pests from falling directly in. Maybe some pesticides or something. But I'm not a tree doctor and those may just be redneck ideas. Can this tree be helped besides cutting it down? Pay no attention to the old swing leaning there, we are replacing the seat this weekend. Thank you.

 

[Jonny]

Possibly a candidate for a static cable. If it was my tree, I’d find a local arborist that offers pesticide application.

 

[Bermy]

Ditto on a cable, but I'd make it adjustable as those trunks will continue to grow and push against each other...
Don't bother with foam, false economy and won't help.

 

[vharrison]

Just curious, did the tree have any salt water at the base from the last hurricane, I think it was Michael that slammed the panhandle?

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

Just curious, did the tree have any salt water at the base from the last hurricane, I think it was Michael that slammed the panhandle?

Never any salt water. We are too far from the coast for that.

 

[Mick!]

Classic co-dom with inclusion.
It will break apart at some point.

Got more pictures with its situation as regards targets and the overall crown?

 

[Bermy]

Yep, any cabling should account for continued increase in diameter of both trunks...

 

[SeanKroll]

Static cable.
bacterial Slime flux or bacterial wetwood.
Don’t recall the details. A hardwood thing.

check Guy Milleur’s articles.


The tree is not lacking PU foam, it’s lacking professional quality care.

 

[Mick!]

Static cable.
bacterial Slime flux or bacterial wetwood.
Don’t recall the details. A hardwood thing.

check Guy Milleur’s articles.


The tree is not lacking PU foam, it’s lacking professional quality care.

The material coming out of that fork is likely nothing more than an overflow of water and leaf mould.

Once it became established as a co-dom, all pro tree care became superfluous.

 

[Frankie]

Well ... being more of chainsaw/firewood guy I really can’t speak from the arborists perspectives as I’m not as skilled/knowledgeable. That being said , there’s always the nuclear option ...

 

[SeanKroll]

?