Q: The elm tree in our entrance yard has a disgusting, brown, slimy mess operating down the trunk. Because it dries it’s leaving a white streak on the bark. What can we do to cease this?
A: Your tree has a bacterial an infection known as slime flux or moist wooden. Many tree species can get this an infection, however for some motive, virtually each elm tree is affected to some extent. Bushes over 10 years previous usually tend to get it than youthful timber.
The micro organism enter the tree via uncovered wounds, resembling pruning cuts, harm from garden mowers, minimize roots, storm harm and the place two trunks develop collectively. Because the micro organism eat carbohydrates and cellulose, they launch gases. The gases create strain that pushes sap out of the tree trunk. The sap could embrace a number of the micro organism, however on the floor of the trunk, it could possibly develop into contaminated with yeast and different organisms.
It usually turns into a smelly and unpleasant mess operating down the trunk. It appears to run extra throughout moist climate. It is going to stain the bark white, and it’ll not wash off simply. The slime is poisonous to the encompassing dwell tissue within the trunk, nevertheless it gained’t unfold and kill the tree by itself.
We used to counsel putting in a drainpipe into the tree to alleviate the gasoline strain, nevertheless it doesn’t do any good, and putting in the pipe damages the tree. If the tree is in any other case wholesome, it is going to most likely keep that approach. Simply rinse off the slime whereas it’s nonetheless moist to get rather less of the white stain on the trunk.
Q: We’ve a sycamore tree that has had an issue leafing out within the spring through the previous two years. What can we do to assist maintain it wholesome?
A: Sycamores usually get a severe fungal illness known as anthracnose. Different tree and shrub species get anthracnose issues, however the signs are worse in sycamore timber.
It assaults and kills the leaves and small twigs. It assaults the timber within the spring when the climate is cool and moist. All the brand new leaves are killed till the climate warms up and dries out and the fungus can not unfold. The fungus stays dormant within the litter that falls off the tree.
Over the summer season, new branches of leaves will develop. They could die subsequent spring. All the quick, useless branches on the ends of lengthy branches give the tree the visible impact of wanting like a tree constructed from a bunch of broom handles.
In the course of the summer season, take away any useless leaves and twigs from the bottom across the tree. A sick sycamore tree makes use of lots of saved meals to supply leaves and branches which can be killed within the spring. It then has a shorter summer season season of wholesome leaves to supply the starches that it must survive the winter and develop new leaves subsequent spring. To maintain the tree wholesome, water and fertilize it through the summer season. Sycamores are native to lowlands, so that they want extra water than a typical suburban panorama tree.
Subsequent spring, when the brand new progress begins to sprout, the tree must be sprayed with a fungicide weekly till the climate warms up.
Sycamores are fairly timber, however they don’t make good city panorama timber for small landscapes. They’ve an uncommon white bark that’s produced by dropping the corky outer layers of bark onto the garden, including to the upkeep.
