Oak tree splitting is one of the most popular felling types in the world. It takes many years to mature in the U.S., which makes it particularly desirable for those seeking to make a tree grow fast and healthy. Oak is also the heaviest wood, so it naturally has to be dealt with when pruned. If you want to get an Oak tree that will survive, you need to know its natural habits to avoid undesirable events.
The most common natural behaviour for oak tree splitting is called "bark splitting". This is where the main branch stands upright while the other branches are either left hanging or completely detached from the main trunk. Bark splitting can occur at any stage, but is more likely to occur during periods of drought. Drought encourages bark splitting because trees attempt to conserve water. During a wet season, trees may have several splinters from the bark that breaks off and starts to decay, so you need to watch for this type of problem.
The main cause of oak tree splitting is disease, so you should look out for symptoms such as cracks, holes, or discolouration in the branches. Look for signs of fungal infections, such as white spots or lesions. If you see any signs of fungal infection, you should isolate the affected branch and treat it with anti-fungal insecticide straight away. Alternatively, if you find dead or dying branches that are splitting as a result of infection, then you need to take action before complete death of the branch occurs.
There are two main types of natural events that can result in oak tree splitting: physical and chemical. Peeling - refers to when the outer bark of the tree begins to peel. Chemical peeling is usually caused by too much sunlight, heat, chemicals, or wind. However, it is also possible to rip bark off by mechanical pressure. In both cases, the problem is the same and can be easily resolved with insecticide. This will usually take only a few hours or a few days.
The other major cause of oak tree trunk splitting is when the tree trunk has split from the main support and is now splitting into smaller pieces. This is often caused by a large storm which has caused tree limbs to bend and split. In order to inspect the tree, you will need to obtain a camera that is as close as possible to assess the extent of the damage. If you can view the camera from several different angles then this will make the process of inspection easier because you will be able to judge how much damage has occurred and where. If you want to obtain an accurate preview of the damage, you will need to obtain a preview from at least four different angles.
The best way to inspect the tree and prevent further damage is to obtain a free forecast of the temperature, which is normally held in local weather studios throughout the United Kingdom. If the forecast calls for temperatures above freezing then it is highly likely that the wind speed will be very high on the day of the storm. It is this high wind speed that will cause the branches to break from the main support. When the branches have split from the support they will often die back resulting in oak tree splitting due to lack of oxygen. You may be able to prevent this situation if you install a cold base board on your windows before the storm.