AusBonsai

Hey all, I have a canadian maple or acer rubrum???? i think that i purchased from a nursury to plant in my back yard. It was a 3m flemings tree, a few months after planting i noticed it had a borer hole half way up it. I sprayed it wit pesticide and got rid of the borer, but since then i've noticed that pretty much the top half is now dead. The trunk is atleast a good inch think, maybe 1.5 inches, and was thinking of air layering half of the alive part and creating 2 trunks. Since the trunks are dead straight and nice and fat, i was thinking a broom style would suit, but i am just curious if there might be any precautions in making a V cut and leaving such a large area of exposed wood........or any other tips would be greatly appreciated
cheers,
Aaron

I can't help you with that Aaron but I am curious as to why the top half died. I may be mistaken but your message seems to imply that the borer caused it but I'm wondering if it was the insecticide. I'm only asking because when I saw your message, it reminded me of when I was little and my father spotted several borers in our lemon tree. He used the wire from a coat hanger and poked it up each hole until he "skewered" the borer. A very crude method I know but perhaps far less invasive than spraying insecticide up the hole. Plently of knowledgable people on this forum. I'm sure you'll find a solution. Good luck

John

I have treated borer a couple of times but I carve out all wood affected wich is noticable by the termite type holes. I have not used chemicals. Both trees have been borer free ever since. I agree with Jester Borer only eat dead wood and will not kill a tree.
I would rather see a picture to comment on any styling

Hey guys, as yet I haven't dug up the tree or anything yet, as I (I mean the missus) want to see whether it does bounce back this spring. The borer got in under the support strap i had on it, so it took off some bark around the trunk before going in, ring barked it about half way. The reason i believe it is dead above this hole is because the lower branches all of nice fresh buds that are swelling a little. Whereas the top half the buds are very dry and fall off easily, also twigs snapped very easily and too look very dried out.
So if the top half of the tree doesnt bounce back then i need to replace it and so may get a nice bonsai out of the one i have now