What is the best way to CAUSE rot in a trunk?

[BillsBayou]

Huh? Yeah, baby. I want to rot one of my bald cypress trunks. Just to watch it happen, and then arrest it.

In 2013, I started a video series where I am "simulating" a hollowed out tree. The more I look at it, the more I realize I have yet to commit to the idea. If I want to created a hollowed tree, I can either carve it like a madman, or I can introduce actual rot (like a madman).

Here's the tree in 2016:


Here's a tree from this year, 2018, that is actually rotted out:


I have others that I have collected which are teaching me that nature does the best work when it comes to carving out a tree. I want to take the leap with one of my healthy trees, punch holes in the trunk, introduce rot, and see what I get.

Last picture. This is a giant flute. Sort of the inspiration for wanting to introduce rot. How would I ever recreate this without the help of nature? Small holes in the trunk, with nothing inside. It was like looking at a big flute:

 

[0soyoung]

I dunno, about a BEST way, but ...

Obviously inoculate wood with a rot fungus. So, something like get some local rotting wood and put it on the test wood; say under a layer of moss and a binding for a few weeks. Maybe it works.

On the other hand maybe @wireme probably knows a way that assuredly works. He's a mushroom cultivating woodsman/forester, AFAIK. This seems like a question that would be right up his alley.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I was reading articles about getting rid of stumps.. I didn't want to go the burn route because of gas lines and sewer lines in the vicinity.. One thing that is recommended is fertilizing the stump to expedite the rot. So I put some agriform fertilizer tablets on top of the stump, and last fall after some heavy rains, the stump and even the roots reaching around the yard exploded with a huge crop of mushrooms. They stank there were so many mushrooms.

 

[Jester217300]

Decomposition happens with the correct ratios of carbon, nitrogen, and water. The wood has plenty of carbon. Add nitrogen and keep it wet. The active ingredient in most "stump out" type products is potassium nitrate and will work fine. You can pick one up from pretty much any big box store. If you want the rot to take a certain path then hit it with a drill or an angle grinder first.

 

[BobbyLane]

pack the hollow with spagnam moss and make sure the moss is always wet. encourage moss growth in the hollow/holes

 

[AZbonsai]

Have me take care of it!

 

[BillsBayou]

...get some local rotting wood and put it on the test wood...

Thought that might be a good way. I had an idea to take cores of the rotted material and drill small holes into the target wood.

pack the hollow with spagnam moss and make sure the moss is always wet. encourage moss growth in the hollow/holes

Another good idea. In fact, I might combine it with @0soyoung's idea.

Have me take care of it!

Arizona? I guess that'd be good because of the first two techniques. Then just unpack the sites and let that dry desert air suck all the moisture from the remaining wood. Lime sulfur and I'm done!

 

[AZbonsai]

Bald Cyprus pretty popular in our bonsai group! I have been trying to get you to sell me one with no luck!

 

[sorce]

I wonder if "traditional" methods would be AS effective on BC.......

Cuz we don't leave any other tree in standing water all year....to prevent rot.

I would scoop out some good nasty rot from a BC in the swamp that is rotting, to ensure it will be effective....

I understand ....

take a certain path then hit it with a drill or an angle grinder first.

Maybe even.....

drill small holes into the target wood.

For like a really deep fissure..

But I can't see drilled holes resulting in a natural look.

Closeup?

Sorce

 

[GrimLore]

introduce rot, and see what I get.

Place moss on it and let it do it's thing, tears up bark on a year second to none

Removal is a pain but not a long process once you achieve the look you want...

Grimmy

 

[BillsBayou]

Bald Cyprus pretty popular in our bonsai group! I have been trying to get you to sell me one with no luck!

Lame excuse 1: I've never shipped trees before, so I'd hate to do it wrong.
Lame excuse 2: I'd have to go through the trouble of getting a "Imported Fire Ant Certification Stamp" for anything I ship to an IFA-free zone.

 

[BillsBayou]

...But I can't see drilled holes resulting in a natural look....

Drilling holes has me concerned for that same reason. How about a wood-rot poultice?

1) Roughen the wood to be infected with a brass or steel brush.
2) Using a mortar and pestle, create a paste of wet rotted wood from the same species of tree. You'll want a volume of paste equal to two golf balls.
3) Using gloves, combine the wood-rot-paste, an equal volume of sphagnum moss (torn up by hand), and 1 tablespoon of potassium nitrate (stump remover) in a large disposable bowl
4) Add enough water to make a sticky paste of the ingredients.
5) Spread the paste to the entire surface of clean wood you wish to rot.
If the wood to rot is on the inside of a cavity, pack the remaining volume of the cavity with moist sphagnum moss.
6) Wrap the area or cavity with Vet Wrap or cheese cloth held in place with raffia.
7) Keep moist.

Should take 4 to 6 weeks to get a significant volume of wood to rot away. Happy Rotting!

(ALL OF THIS WAS COMPLETELY MADE UP, I HAVE NO IDEA IF THIS WORKS)

 

[CasAH]

Carpenter ants, or termites would work quickly.

 

[choppychoppy]

Dissolve the wood using ionic liquids - this may be too detrimental to the tree?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Sphagnum moss has some natural fungus inhibitors, I believe. Use an old wash cloth or dish rag and pack it in the area and leave it for a year or two. It will rot.

 

[BillsBayou]

Sphagnum moss has some natural fungus inhibitors, I believe. Use an old wash cloth or dish rag and pack it in the area and leave it for a year or two. It will rot.

Ahhhhh... Nice idea. Thanks.

 

[StoneCloud]

Best way to cause rot in a trunk:

brisket + steamer trunk............. and a few days in the LA Sun!!!


On a serious note though, going along with what Brian said, maybe instead of a rag, shove a dirty old sponge in there....should stay put easier.

 

[StoneCloud]

But all this seems like a lot of tedious work........wouldn't it be better to just fill the area you want with satchels of something super high in nitrogen like urea fert or compost?

You're posts are always great keep it up !!

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Your area is just as wet as mine, things tend rot here very easily, no problem or without any help. Any wood that is exposed rots away in short order, by itself with no intervention. The siding (not treated) on my shed is only 2 years old and it is already rotten on bottom.

 

[Tieball]

I have this strange feeling that once you introduce rotting compounds into the cells of the tree that there’s no stopping the rot from spreading further for a longer time. I’m more in favor of slow, careful manipulation of the wood with carving and longer term preservation. I’ve carved some....then just let the natural elements take over for awhile...then came back and carved more out of the tree once I saw what nature and the tree agreed upon. Once Bark is removed it doesn’t take long for rotting to set in anywhere on a tree....especially at the base.