Trees can have a bunch of problems and maybe at first glance, they don’t look so serious, but it’s only a matter of time before some small things can really put the tree through the wringer. Here is everything you need to know about slime flux in trees, how to spot it, and when to consult arborist services.

What Is Slime Flux?

When you look at a tree, especially the bark or the trunk, you may have seen some oozing and dripping from that very space. Well, sometimes it can be normal. It is usually the sap of the tree oozing out and that is not so worrisome. But, other times, it can turn into a disaster, and if you see very dark spots on the tree that are continuously oozing out liquid, and don’t seem to stop, then that is something that you should worry about.

This is not normal at all and you need to get to the bottom of the problem.

Basically, this darkened, wet, and oozing spot on the tree is known as slime flux. It is also known as bacterial wetwood and it is caused when the sap of the tree is subjected to a bacterial infection. The sap of the tree is already prone to bacterial infections, since, well, it is always oozing liquid out and you know what they say about bacteria and infections? Where there is moisture, there will be a chance of infection.

Even though some trees do naturally produce a lot of sap, other times, the abundance of sap production can be due to a tree wound or even an environmental impact. So, you really need to be careful when you see too much sap production on the tree.

So, if you see a small wet spot on the tree and it progressively gets darker and bigger in size, then that is something you should be worried about. Slime flux or bacterial wetwood is really common to occur in a lot of trees. Whether it be fruit trees, flower trees, or even regular trees, there is a chance that slime flux may attack the tree.

How To Identify Slime Flux In Trees?

How to know what slime flux is? You want to figure out how you can identify it on the tree, besides the dark and wet oozing and dripping.

You need to know the symptoms of slime flux.

Here are some of the symptoms that you shouldn’t ever turn your head away from.

Weeping Of The Tree Trunk

The most obvious one is the weeping of the tree branches and the trunk. You want to look at the tree branches and trunks and look for any severely oozing parts.

The sap in a normal tree usually oozes very slowly and it is not technically weeping, but when it comes to a tree that has fallen victim to slime flux, then you will see large oozing spots and the dripping of the sap will make it look like the tree is weeping. Not to mention, the spot will also look very dark.

Tree Wounds

You want to check for tree wounds. Usually, sap production will increase when there is a tree wound involved and if you see that a wound on the tree is getting bigger and it is just getting worse instead of better, then you have to do something about it.

Deteriorating Tree Health

Next, you want to check the general health of the tree. Slime flux is a bacterial infection and if your tree is under the attack of bacteria, then it won’t look happy and healthy at all.

It will look wilted, the branches and the leaves will look dead, and there will just be things that stand out to you, and not in a good way. This is why you should never take this lightly and if you see something wrong with the tree, then you have to fix it no matter what. Call in tree cutting services Potomac for tree care and removal.

How To Fix Trees With Slime Flux?

Speaking of fixing the problem, you have to know exactly the mode of action you should take. Here is what you should do to fix slime flux and save your tree from anything worse.

Drilling Holes Doesn’t Fix It

In the past, there were a lot of treatments for slime flux, which are now proven to be useless and fruitless. It was believed that drilling holes in the trees to help the tree get rid of the unwanted sap and liquid was useful.

So, people would drill more holes and allow the sap to drain that way. However, it has been found that instead of helping the tree out, you’re actually making it susceptible to bacterial infection. So, whatever you do, make sure that you don’t drill more holes in an already down tree. Unwanted holes in a tree can be dangerous so drilling them is never good.

Insecticides Don’t Affect Slime Flux

It was also believed that insecticides can be used to get rid of the bacteria inside the sap. However, that is also not good for the tree in general. If you can, try to avoid letting the tree come in contact with harsh chemicals like insecticides when it is already in such a dire condition. You don’t want to worsen the health of the tree.

Wait And Treat Tree Wounds

What you want to do instead is just keep an eye out for the tree, treat any tree wounds, and wait for the tree to grow wood around the wound, so that it can naturally heal, just like how human skin can heal after it develops a scab on the surface.

This is the best mode of action. You also want to keep neighboring trees away, because you never know if slime flux can transfer from one tree to another. That is not what you want, so make sure that you isolate the infection as much as you can.

How To Avoid Slime Flux In Trees?

So, now that you know how you can manage slime flux, the next thing you want to do and actually take care of is preventing slime flux or bacterial wetwood from attacking trees in the first place.

Check For Tree Wounds

This can be possible when you check the tree regularly for any wounds. Remember, treating the wound in record time will prevent the sap from getting infected. The wound is what exposes the interior of the tree to the exterior harmful agents, so you want to ensure that you are doing everything you can to make the tree wound heal quickly so that it doesn’t get infected.

Prune Infected Branches

Also, if the tree has gone through a bacterial infection in the past, then you want to take care of the fact that it doesn’t happen again. You want to prune any sick or damaged parts of the tree regularly and you have to take care of it.

Look, taking care of a tree is like taking care of a child. You have to be committed and patient. That is when you’ll be able to see the tree grow and thrive, and become healthy and strong to sustain the outdoors.

Conclusion

The next time you see something oozing out of the tree and you think it’s no problem, then rather than relaxing, you need to stay alert, because this very simple thing can turn detrimental for the tree in no time at all. Consult tree removal services Bethesda who can assess tree health and cut down the tree to avoid spread of the infection to the surrounding trees.