Question
We have 2 large maple shade trees one died this year. We thought ligntning hit it, but the big tree next to it has a large hole about 6 inches from the ground and something is eating it. You can see the pulp in the center. There are also mushroom type growths inside the tree. comming from the center of the hole. Is there anything we can do by ourselves to save this one. We are 65 and 66 and live on Social Security. We can't afford to get it cut down and were afraid the dead tree will fall on our house in a storm. We want to save the tree if we can. Any suggestions. Thank you, Shirley

Answer
Sounds like a decay fungi has entered the woody cells of the tree trunk. When a tree has a injury to the bark decay fungi spores can infect the wound and over time will decay the woody inter part of a tree. Maples a thin bark and can be wounded easily. The trees living cells are just under the bark and the cells making up the wood are dead. The decay fungi will not kill the tree but over many many years could weaken the trunk. Since the tree is large I doubt the fungi will weaken the trunk to cause any concern. The mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of the fungi that is living in the tree. IF the leaves are green and the foliage if full the tree is ok. I would recommend that you fertilize the tree with 10-10-10 fertilizer at the rate of 1 lb per inch of trunk diameter scattered around the tree and watered in good. Apply the fertilizer just before  a rain storm and you will not need to water it in.