Q.Repair A Girdled Tree
We own a lot on a lake, and the neighbor keeps cutting down all our new cedar trees that come up as he wants to have lake view from his house, which is in back of ours. We cannot catch him in the act of doing this (have tried), but he does it during night hours. This year he wanted to get rid of a beautiful Tamarack tree about 30 feet high. Since he could not trim the branches all off that high, he decided to girdle the tree. He girdled about a 12-inch high area all around the tree. Is there any way we could try to save the tree? We are still trying to catch him at it, but the damage has been done.
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
In some cases, a graft can be created that can repair the bark. But it is tricky and should be done by a professional arborist. Here are instructions on how to do it: http://aces.nmsu.edu/ces/yard/2007/090807.html
As for your obnoxious neighbor, have you considered installing billboard advertising at the back of your property in his view? It would serve him right for doing that to such a lovely tree.
