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I've asked this question already here: https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/88497/dead-tree-how-to-stop-rotting

But realise now it should have been asked here.

I have a very large eucalyptus tree. I have recently been told by at least two tree surgeons that the tree is dying and should be taken down.

Its a beautiful tree and very large and does present a safety risk. I can see that part of the base of the trunk is crumbling, however above the crumbling area it all looks good. We have decided to have the tree removed leaving about 12 foot of the stump.

The question is, is there anything I can treat the crumbling area with to harden it and stop it crumbling further? I'm not looking to save the tree, but I would like to carve the trunk into something but would need to harden it first.

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If the 'crumbling' area is at the base of the tree, it sounds as if the problem causing it to die is coming from the root. You haven't said what the diagnosis from the tree surgeon was as to the cause of the tree dying, but if he did tell you, that would be useful to know.

On the assumption that the problem is at the base/root of the tree, then the twelve foot of trunk above that you would like to leave in place will just die and fall, and if the cause is disease, there is nothing you can do to prevent that happening.

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  • They don't know what has caused the problem they didn't say, only that a large percentage of the trunk is crumbling. There is new growth around the affected area and the tree is still trying to grow but the trunk is considerably weaken.
    – SPlatten
    Commented Apr 12, 2016 at 11:47
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    If you cut it right down and don't remove the stump nor poison it, maybe it'll grow again anyway... if it doesn't, defintely a problem with the roots.
    – Bamboo
    Commented Apr 12, 2016 at 13:29
  • What I don't understand is that it continues to grow at the top of the tree
    – SPlatten
    Commented Apr 12, 2016 at 13:44
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    It's just struggling to survive in parts, but if two different tree surgeons have said it must go before it falls, then it must go. Not worth taking the risk with a very large tree because the trunk is compromised, and the circulatory system for trees is just below the bark, so flow up and down to all parts will be partially compromised already.
    – Bamboo
    Commented Apr 12, 2016 at 14:05

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