Why Water Is Coming Out Of Tree?
You know you’re supposed to water your tree, but in exchange, is your tree supposed to water the lawn?! If you’ve seen water dripping from your tree trunk like a leaky drain, that’s not supporting your tree. In reality, it’s letting you know that it needs some support!
Unlike pipe problems, a helpful plumbing kit can’t patch up our trees. What we should do is ensure that our trees are safe enough for a wetwood fungus to thrive. Ok, here’s how. FALLING, OOZING, OR GUSHING FROM MY TREE TRUNK WATER LEAKING? (FLUX of SLIME)
Bacterial wetwood, also known as slime flux, can be used to thank you. It is a disease that, in the form of thin, water-like liquid, works its way into tree wood and spills out. Why is this happening? What is it? Wetwood-causing bacteria in the roots, trunk or limbs penetrate trees through wounds.
The bacteria generate gas inside the tree once they are inside. Pressure mounts, and through gaps in the bark, runny liquid gradually seeps out. Tiny and clear, the liquid starts out, and becomes a slimy, smelly ooze. As it drips down, a yellow or dark brown colour stains the trunk of the tree.
Are Maple Trees More Capable Of Leaking Clear Liquid?
Yes, in maple, elm, oak, poplar, and birch trees, bacterial wetwood is the most common. But because wetwood can spark so many different bacteria, it can also happen to lots of other trees.
Harm Of Bacterial Wetwood?
The harm done by the wetwood bacteria depends on your tree’s condition. The stained bark is, for most trees, as bad as it gets. In fact, the infection of bacteria will actually inhibit the production of fungal decay.
But because of bacterial wetwood, stressed trees, especially those suffering from soil compaction or drought stress, can get worse. It is not very common, but the leaves of some trees are yellow and wilting. Some may be suffering from branch dieback.
Can I Avoid Wetwood Bacterial or Slime FLUX?
Regrettably, no. There’s no way to treat the disease once a tree is infected.
But, your tree, even with its oozing trunk, can still live for years to come. With these moves, the safest way to treat bacterial wetwood is to keep your tree stress-free:
- When mowing the grass, don’t hit the oak. When you are dealing with a disease, you do not want to risk weakening your tree. It just brings more tension to that. Just because it is stained, don’t cut good bark.
- During a drought, give your tree sufficient water.
- Check if there is compact soil in your tree, which is another significant stressor. Fix it, if it does.