Weeping Mulberry Slime Flux (wetwood)

[Heath]

Here's the deal...

I recently trimmed a nice weeping mulberry. I received a call today from the owner of the tree notifying me that the tree has been weeping in more than the structural sense.

The tree happens to be in front of the house, a high traffic area, and in addition the client had a nice little patio built under the tree for a morning coffee and newspaper retreat.

Many of the points from which dead branches were removed are now dripping on the sidewalk and patio. I am aware that the oozing of sap from wounds or branch unions is usually a bacterial infection of the sap, known as wetwood or slime flux. This causes the buildup of excessive pressure with the sap.

The question lies in treatment.

I have heard of the 'old treatment' which would involve the drilling of holes in the base of the tree to alleviate pressure and drain the tree. I am also aware that the best treatment of all is to avoid the problem altogether through maintaining tree health.

What can I do to treat this problem? I would rather not tie handkerchiefs around all the wounds, nor do I wish to go drilling holes in the tree to invite nasty pathogens in.

Thanks in advance.

 

[antigrassguy]

Heath, what color is the ooze? Is the area irragated and what is the general soil moisture around the tree? How old or big is it? Can you post pics? I would like to learn from this as well as we have 4 of these here at home.

 

[antigrassguy]

OK it may be a bacterial blight, Pseudomonas spp. Is the ooze yellow or white and is the tree kept moist?

 

[antigrassguy]

Damn Heath, your in Kansas. Try to get ahold of Ned Tisserat at K State in the plant pathology dept. He would be a wealth of info on this one.