Bark stripping - should I treat the tree?

[LFRJ]

This query probably belongs on horticulture, but I figured you all deal with it so often, you have the answers already.

I discovered a day ago that the Kinder crew has stripped the bark off of some massive roots belonging to a 50 - 60 foot blue spruce. This root lifts out of the ground near the base of the tree and flanks the sloping terrain like a minature wall, so for the goats, it's easy to stand there an graze on. It's bigger than I can get my arms around, so we're not talking about a small tree or small root system. I can cover the tree and its roots to keep the nibblers off, but should I coat the damaged area also? If so, with what?

I can provide pics if

Tx

[madness]

Good question! We've always protected the trunks of trees that the goats have found particularly tasty. Some of the smaller trees, they've killed before we could get to them (or rather, they died after we put the protection up). We've never put anything on the 'wounds' but it might be a good idea. I'll be watching this thread!

[Backfourty,MI.]

The goats have got some of my smaller tree's & not sure if this was correct or not but I painted the bark stripped area with paint. So far that has worked for me, other than you still have to fence them off, etc. to keep the goats from continually eating on it.

[Alice In TX/MO]

If they have removed the sap carrying layer of the bark the tree will die. You can paint it and wait to see what happens. In the meantime, build a T post and cattle panel fence around the tree.

[PossumRidgeFarm]

They say not to paint damage areas anymore because it doesn't allow the tree to heal. Think of it as you would a cut on you. Try to keep te goats away though because girdling the root will kill it an be of no use to the tree anymore.

[where I want to]

Unless the damage is to most of the roots, I can't see that the tree won't have lots of other roots underground to compensate. At least that has been true for any tree I have tried to remove.
I would try to fence them farther out just because they might introduce some disease or just keep stressing the tree..

[LFRJ]

Here is a pic of the tree in question. It’s a beaut. I’d hate to lose it.



Here is the damaged root wall I was talking about.




(and here are three of the little culprits whose expressions don’t convey as much shame as their guilty pleasures should otherwise endorse).




I have the tree wrapped and blocked off now. There’s plenty of browse for them. I think this spot is particularly attractive right now because they can indulge their chewing satisfaction while the tree acts as an umbrella against the rain.

I have some spreadable shingle tar left over which I can apply if that would help. (To the tree, not the goats, ).

[Goat Servant]

Man those roots looks like a bloody mess; it looks like a crime scene! Want me to call the cops?

[Natural Beauty Farm]

Don't tar. The sap acts like a natural antibiotic and will need air to come do its job.

[Backfourty,MI.]

So far mine haven't died from the paint but at least I know not to do that anymore.
I just couldn't think of what else to do at the time & when you trim fruit tree's they used to tell you to pain that end you cut off.

I wonder if the tree wrap would be a good thing for smaller trees, the kind you wrap around the bottom to keep rabbits from chewing on it?


LFRJ, that tree is a beauty & I can't believe those little Angels did all that damage with those sweet little faces! I would just fence around the part they can get to so that keeps them away from it.

[where I want to]

They really did do a number on that poor tree. I suspect that the tree will send out new surface roots all around and up from those damaged roots. After all the roots below the ground and underneath the damaged area are intact. Then the damage will callous over.
But I have never seen damage like that and don't know whether anything should or could be done to help. I suspect not but you can probably get some info from a local arborists or university.
I've never seen a spruce with drooping limbs like that. Interesting tree.