Any tree experts here?

Ultradog MN · Sep 5, 2016

I have a white Spruce in the back of my yard. Nice tree about 35' tall that provides some shade on the west side of the house.
About 3 or 4 years ago I rolled a junk 16.9 x 24 tire and rim back there to lean it against the tree out of the way. (See, it's tractor related)
The tire got away from me, fell over and the tube burst letting most of the 55 gallons of calcium spill out on the roots of the Spruce.
Within a few months the tree started dying and I figured I had killed it. It lost about 30% of it's needles. But now, it's still alive, does put new growth in the areas that didn't die off. I will be removing some other trees here in the yard next spring or summer to make room for a new garage. That would be the time to take out the Spruce if I'm going to. It will be much harder to take it down once the garage is up. I hate to lose it though.
Is there anything I can do to help it along?
I kick myself for damaging it but sometimes stuff just happens.
Any advice - not for the dumb tire man but for the tree.
Thanks

Janicholson · Sep 5, 2016

If the parts of the tree that are alive are shaped in a reasonable to look at configuration, trimming off the dead branches is all that is needed. there will be no Resurrection of dead areas. Jim

pete black · Sep 5, 2016

Not an expert; however, do not believe the dead part will recover. Tree will probably live but be weakened and as tree height increases so does the chance of it falling. I would remove and replace.

JohnLump · Sep 5, 2016

How about a picture?

MarkB_MI · Sep 5, 2016

Spruce trees are pretty tough. I suspect in a few years you won't be able to tell how close it came to dying.

old · Sep 5, 2016

One thing tha twill help is water the heck out of it for a while. That will help dilute the CACL. Just like with any type of salt the more water the less strong it will be and well as you know salt will kill or hurt most plants

jeffcat · Sep 5, 2016

Several others have said the same. Firstly you should have watered the blue blazes out of it to wash the soil clean of salt. Too late now cause you stated that some of it died. It will never recover where dead. So sad but you are kind of stuck. You are going to need to make a choice as you have said.

dahlin · Sep 5, 2016

If you plan on putting your garage close to the spruce it will send out roots under your cement slab and it will break. I have spruce roots under my garage and its heaved up and broke I didn't plant the tree or build the garage but will have to replace the floor.

db4600 · Sep 6, 2016

Cut it down and make lumber out of it. It should be treated by now so you can use it as your sill plate... But then the salt treating will eat your anchor bolts and spall the concrete.....Never mind.

Any tree experts here?

Ultradog MN

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Janicholson

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pete black

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JohnLump

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MarkB_MI

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old

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jeffcat

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dahlin

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db4600

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