Wait! Here- links to pictures:

http://www.jessbronk.com/4.jpg

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:331844}}

{{gwi:331844}}

This has been posted many, many times, but here it is again...

One of the easiest ways to provide your photo to be embedded into a post is to upload it onto an image hosting site such as Photobucket, Flickr, etc. That should be pretty straight forward, and the individual sites will give instructions on how to get your photos uploaded to their site when you sign up.

Once your picture has been uploaded, find its image location address (URL) by right clicking on the image and copying the image location. Some sites may even provide the appropriate HTML code in a text box below the photo for your convenience. It will be the one that begins with a href=...

Let's say, as an example, that the address of the picture you want to post is http://somepicturesite.com/yourpicture.jpg

To embed the picture into a post, use the command:
img src="http://somepicturesite.com/yourpicture.jpg">;
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If your picture is too large to fit nicely into the text page, you can add a width attribute.

The command with the width attribute would look something like:
img src="http://somepicturesite.com/yourpicture.jpg"; width=600>
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Another option is to use a text link which might be beneficial to people on slow connections.

To do this, use the command:
a href="http://somepicturesite.com/yourpicture.jpg">your text goes here/a>
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Note that I had to use special characters to get the commands above to show up here without turning into pictures, but you can use them as shown (with the correct image web address, of course).

I can't tell much, from the second picture, about how deep the soil is or how much area is affected. I can't even really see a need to remove a lot of soil to level the area. Ideally, as you probably already know, dirt should not be added on top of tree roots. The ability of trees to overcome this attempt to suffocate their roots varies with species, soil type, and other factors. In your situation, since you report that the problem is years old, any damage has probably already been done. Removing the soil already there is not likely to help the tree much.

If you are wanting to regrade the area for aesthetics, I would just try not to damage any more roots than I had to, and would make a specific point of not digging into larger roots. Removing a few smaller roots is not likely to affect the tree. Leave broken/cut root ends exposed after you are finished so they can seal off more effectively (somewhat lessening the chance of disease entering through the damaged roots).

As for applying some type of poultice, DON'T!!! Covering tree wounds (except in special cases) is not a good idea at all.

Can you tell us any more about the wound? Does it go all the way down to or below ground level? Can you tell if there is much rot present? Do you know how old the wound is?

The crack looks like a near-future hazard.

Dan

The Scorched Earth Policy bare, raked-looking ground will not assist any of the trees and shrubs there. You actually have dead feeder roots sticking up out of the ground, where surface litter and perhaps part of the soil has been removed.

can anyone ID the tree by the bark.. i dont think any of the leaves are from the tree ...

the bark reminds me of mulberry ...

looking at the scaffolding of the branches ... i would tend to be done with the tree ... especially with what looks like the garage sitting under it ...

ken

The tree looks like it might be a Norway Maple. You say the, "giant crack is getting worse". I would have the tree removed, even if it didn't have the crack. It will be too big for your yard very soon if it doesn't fall down first.
The leaves are from a Prunus laurocerasus, English Laurel.

The crack may be getting worse because the tree trunk angle shows there is unfavorable physics for load bearing. If it is not a hazard now it will be soon. And you can dig down 6-8 inches if you don't mind killing 60-80% of the roots of the plants in the area to be dug.

Dan

Thank you so much for all the input. I am ashamed to say, the amount of compost and debris I have already removed from around it's base is sizeable- I filled a 3.5 foot cubic bin, plus transferred 3 mounded wheelbarrows to the garden. Poor tree. We finally invested in a proper composter so I am trying to clear an area for it to sit level, it is difficult to see in the pics how much the ground slopes.

Brandon7, thank you for the help with the pics and for the root advice! That sounds very sensible to me.

I just went out and inspected the crack again. It actually looks worse from a distance. It starts a few feet off the ground and travels up about 4'. I believe it was only 2 or 3' when I noticed it a couple years ago. But it is only about half an inch deep. I was told by another person I wrote to that the wetness is called slime flux, they also guessed Norway Maple. I just discovered another smaller crack scar on the other side, it looks fully healed.

So, I am thinking... I will keep an eye on it. We would really hate to lose that cover and greenery. But if it's days are numbered anyway I'd like to get another tree growing in that area, so I'll start taking closer stock of what's going on. Don't worry too much about the garage, it may be coming down without the help of the tree :) We have lots of projects to address!

The fact that the crack doesn't extend down to ground level is a plus. That in no way means the tree is in the clear, but at least it's one plus.

If it were mine, I'd remove it and plant something else. If it was indeed a Norway Maple it probably wouldn't even last until morning. (-:

If you decide to keep it and give it a chance, keep a close eye out on the crack and the underlying wood. If rot sets in (like looks quite possible even now), remove the tree before it gets larger and more costly to remove or falls on something expensive in a good wind.

One final thing to consider...if it needs to be removed, the faster you remove it and plant a replacement, the sooner the replacement will achieve a decent size and your yard will be minus a potential problem.

hey

quit hemming and hawing.. and understand that it has to go .... it seems the more we tell you its a bad situation.. the more you want to add new facts.. hoping we will capitulate ..

dan is a pro tree guy.. he said it has to go ...

brandon is a theorist.. and he says it has to go ...

i said my gut says it has to go ...

think of it as an opportunity for something new ...

good luck

ken