Fixing a Field Maple Stump

[heeclee]

I dug up a field maple stump that was planted some years ago. When I started digging, what I though was the base of the tree (red line) just had 3 roots, and the true base was even lower.
Is there a safe way to fix that bulge (black arrow) created by the higher roots? Will grinding away with dremel be safe for the tree?



Also, because I chopped it long time ago, and didn't take care of it, it now has a large rotting hole? at the chop site. What is the best way to prevent it from getting bigger and deeper? Thank you,

 

[Shibui]

I think only time will fix that lower reverse taper. You could try wounding below the wider part to get callus to accelerate thickening on the low section. Some people have hammered the bark, I've tried cutting vertical slits in the section that needs to be thickened. It does work but not instant.
This is one of the problems with leaving trees in the ground without checking. I've found maples and junipers in particular are very fond of putting out new surface roots if planted too deep and thickening is really quick where new roots grow.
You still have the same thing in the upper trunk which will be harder to fix.

The hollow cannot heal over a void. You can try filling the hole with something solid and durable. The bark should grow over provided it has a solid surface.
Alternative is to make a feature of the hollow - called uro in Japanese.
Hollow trunk is not fatal for trees. Check some of the old redwoods that have lived for many years with completely hollow trunks. Other smaller forest trees have hollow trunks that provide homes for owls, etc so hollow trunk is a natural part of aging for trees.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Don't know what it looks like all the way around, but it looks to me like you could remove the "bumps" with knob cutters and it would be smoother and the taper issue would be less noticeable. As for the hollow, clean out the punky wood, fill it with epoxy putty up to where you want it to heal over. The callous will roll right over the epoxy putty.

Here is an article that I wrote on my website:

REPAIRING TRUNK DAMAGE AND ROT WITH EPOXY PUTTY

Trees are amazing forms of life and like humans have the ability to heal themselves. Like humans, severe wounds will often leave a bad scar, have...

www.heartofdixiebonsai.com

 

[Tieball]

I've used the attached product to fill in a deep hole like you have. This will kneed to a medium soft putty clay consistency that can be formed as I want. It sticks to the surface edges well and dries very hard. Conveniently it is also a pleasant color when dry that blends well into my tree trunk colors. Not expensive at all. I cut off and kneed what I require and save the rest in the tube to use some other day….sometimes years later.

 

[heeclee]

Thanks for the tips and the article guys. I remember using grey JB Weld putty for a cracked pvc pipe. I will try the wood color one. Thanks again.

 

[Tbrshou]

You could ground layer at the red lines and make that your new base and keep the flare. Fill the hole with jb weld as Tieball said and reactivate the callous around the hole by scraping off the top layer add cut past and wait

 

[heeclee]

This field maple stump with very little roots survived and grew many branches, although it didn't grow as much as I hoped.
I was hoping I would get some branches at the long empty section at the top (arrow). Maybe if I cut back on the top next year, it may back bud?
Hope to clean the lower stubs and do some carving with the hole next year.

 

[TomB]

A more reliable approach would be to thread graft one or more branches exactly where you want them.

 

[heeclee]

A more reliable approach would be to thread graft one or more branches exactly where you want them.

Is it easy enough to perform for a newbie like me?

 

[bonsaichile]

Is it easy enough to perform for a newbie like me?

You'll never learn if you dont try

 

[TomB]

Is it easy enough to perform for a newbie like me?

Yes, lots of instructional resources out there. Probably the easiest graft, and it usually works.

Have a look at

(he does a number of things in the video, the thread graft is about halfway in)