I have many mature trees surrounding my house. This past Saturday one of them -- a very large oak -- split, shattered and (mostly) crashed to the ground. Turns out it was hollow from where other branches had fallen in years past.
My question is, is there any way to prevent this?
Is there any way to treat a mature tree with a short central leader and three or four large branches which form a catch basin? I've heard that filling this "crotch" with cement will help prevent it from rotting.
I know a few arborists who cringe at the idea of "filling" hollow trees. But, when the 100+ year old tree and UVA was at risk, it was filled and it stopped the spread of rot. The "Hanging Tree" here (also called, Council Oak) was filled about ten years ago and it too is still standing. I would recomend calling several arborists in your area (your biggest garden store will have suggestions for you) and discuss your concerns.
