CODIT: How Trees Defend Themselves

Taking care of the trees on your property is important to help prevent damage to your home or losing value. The best way to do that is with a company such as Dusty’s Tree Service. We provide a wide range of services including tree trimming, tree stump removal, and inspecting trees for poor CODIT, or compartmentalization of decay in trees. Working with a professional tree service company can help to take care of the trees you have while protecting your other investments at the same time.

When trees have damage that they can’t repair on their own, it can wreak havoc on the tree itself and the surroundings. It’s important to have a professional take a look to see if tree damage is evident and if compartmentalization is working to maintain the tree’s health. Dusty’s Tree Service is here to do just that.

In the past, scientists have found that when a tree is damaged, fungi and other organisms will enter the tree through that area and cause decay to happen over and over. That is where CODIT comes in and stops the process. Take a few minutes to learn more about this process, how the tree helps itself, and what you can do to make sure your trees are healthy at all times.

This is the method by which your trees will wall off the damaged areas to help prevent them from causing further issues in the tree itself. When damage takes place, the process begins to help keep new growth from being affected by the damage. The process of CODIT blocks the damaged tissue that was already there when it happened. By understanding CODIT, you can understand how best to prune, trim and maintain the trees on your property.  The organism will form four layers of walls to help keep the damage in one area rather than letting it spread throughout.

• Wall 1 – This inner wall is around the damage itself. It is the weakest of the four walls that the tree forms but it keeps the decay and damage in the specific area where it started. The tissue itself runs up and down the area and works to slow down or stop the spread of problems vertically.
• Wall 2 – Formed by the cells of the growth ring, this wall is in place to stop the inward decay of the tree. With the exception of running into ray cells, this is a continuous wall throughout the tree. It is also the second weakest of the four layers.
• Wall 3 – This is formed by ray cells that run perpendicular to the stem and form sections similar to that of a pie. They do not run continuously but rather have varying sizes and attributes throughout the wall. It’s the strongest wall before the fourth wall and will sometimes chemically change to ward off microorganisms that would cause decay.
• Wall 4 – This last wall is formed by new growth on the outside of the tree. This helps to totally isolate the wound and prevent it from causing further damage. This may be noticeable when you have a tree that is rotted on the inside but still alive as new growth has taken place.

This system of protection your tree puts in place will help to prevent the new growth from being damaged or infected. It basically cuts off the tissue present at the time of the damage from new growth that will come later. The new growth has the opportunity to thrive while the other dies off after damage and rots away.

How Are Trees Damaged?

There are a lot of varying factors that can cause trees to become damaged. Insects, pests, wind, fire, and storms are just a few. It can also happen from homeowners or vendors on your property that don’t account for the CODIT process of a tree.

The most frequent damage that we see, is the improper trimming of large branches on the tree.  Cutting the branch flush with the main trunk will cut into the fibers of the trunk; resulting in the tree being unable to compartmentalize the decay before it reaches the heart-wood. Cutting away from the trunk, leaving a node for the tree to wall-off the decay, is the proper way to trim tree branches, to maintain a healthy tree.

Damaged trees can become unsightly and become a danger. That’s why it is imperative you have someone such as our company on your side with regular tree inspections. Proper tree pruning, tree stump removal, and annual inspections can help you keep your trees healthy and looking great all year long.

If you have a tree that has been wounded, we can help make sure that the CODIT process is moving as it should. This will help to ensure the tree doesn’t become a danger to the property itself. Dead trees can fall over and damage other items on the land including your home or persons.

Evaluation

The best way to understand what type of trees and damage you may be dealing with is to have a regular inspection of your property. This allows the tree experts to evaluate the trees themselves and give you a detailed report of what is taking place. Making sure to have trees properly trimmed and maintained can help your property look better and make sure that you avoid any damage from falling trees during storms or high winds.