Call an arborist or maybe two. Some damage but it needs a closer look to see how deep they have gone in.

Here is a link that might be useful: Propagating Perennials

ants are not the problem...

the problem is rotting wood ... and the ants are visiting it.. and using it...

curing the tree of ants... will not solve the basic problem ... an extremely old tree ...

be very leary of any snake oil salesman .. who will take hundreds of dollars.. trying to fix a problem that is unfixable ... only to want more money to remove it later on ....

the tree has been topped due to the power lines.. i dont believe anyone here will be happy about that ... someone has a link about how much damage that can do to a tree ...

it also has that one gaping wound.. but i cant tell where on the tree that is .... that is unfixable IMHO .... without making an even bigger wound ....

now... whether or not this tree will fail soon .. is the basic question ....

if it is over hanging the house... and that part is related to the big wound ..... that part should be removed...

if it will fall in a manner that will injure someone.. in a storm .. it should be removed ....

i would tend to think.. you have a long time to go ... before it is necessary to remove the tree .... if it were me.. i would start a few other trees to provide shade.. and perhaps.. a few years down the line... plan on removing this one .... i doubt.. based solely on the pix.. that it necessary to do it ASAP .... i have seen apples trees at homesteads.. which have been gone for 100 years ... they are ugly trees ... but apples can last forever.. and get really ugly .... one tends to disbelieve they can even remain standing.. lol ...

but i am of the opinion.. that it is only going to get worse ...

ken

Carpenter ants are not, themselves, damaging to your tree, but simply taking advantage of a situation that is already well in place. Carpenter ants take up residence in soft, punky, dead wood...and try to avoid healthy (living) wood.

Your apple tree has significant rot, and that is the issue, not the ants. It appears that the tree has been topped at some point in time, which can cause disease problems for mature trees. There may be other causal factors, as well. There is, by the way, no cure for tree issues such as this, but trees can live for many years with their entire insides rotted away. You should have a Certified ISA Arborist take a look at it, however, to see if the branches are completely rotted, too. You don't want keep this tree if it is a significant hazard.

I agree with the above posts.

But I want to emphasize that you need a certified arborist to evaluate the tree. With the rot you show at the junction of two major branches (or is it a branch and the trunk?) that tree is likely to self-destruct -- suddenly and unannounced.

If that occurs, what would be the likely target? Your deck? The house? People?

Again, I want to repeat -- your tree is a disaster waiting to happen.

i dont think she needs the opinion of a certified arborist..

if the decision is simply removal ....

building the deck ... may have added to its decline... but i doubt if it was significant to the rot ....

get estimates from 3 tree removal guys.. hire the cheapest one.. with proper insurance ...

apple is a very hard wood.. and great for the fireplace ... or the fire pit in the yard ... and if you have any garden.. the chips would be great to keep ...

if you have some hope of saving it.. then the cert'd arborist would be worth the money ... IMHO .. a CA is not a guy who owns a chainsaw ... lol ... we do not need the opinion of the guy with the saw.. as noted.. he will be willing to come back every year to do a couple hundred bucks worth of pruning...

ken

PS: there are many very good tree trimmers/removers .... and twice as many fly by night snake charmers.....

Thanks for the advice.

We have small children & I am worried about the "impending disaster" if the tree were to go suddenly.

Tricia