Gum flow is a disease that often causes a tree to die. But it doesn't have to come to that. You can treat the gum flow.
When a tree suffers from what is known as gum flow, it manifests itself as a light brown, soft mass that forms in clumps on the bark. The gum flow occurs on the bark, i.e. on the trunk, as well as on the branches. But not only the trees themselves, but also the fruits can be infected by this disease. Stone fruit trees are usually affected. Especially cherry trees.
Gum Flow Causes
Gum flow usually occurs for the following two reasons: Firstly, pests and fungi can be responsible for it, but also wounds that have not healed properly. But also extreme cold and heat, waterlogging and a tree pruning that is too radical can trigger the so-called rubber flow.
If you don't act in time when an infestation occurs, you have to expect that the harvest will be less productive. In particularly severe cases, the fruit trees can even die off completely.
Successfully preventing gum flow
If you don't treat the gum flow in time, it can cause lasting damage to the tree and even cause large parts to die off. For this reason, you should check all your fruit trees regularly and take preventive measures. This includes the following measures:
❖ Wound Care:
Always make sure that you treat even the smallest wounds on the tree properly and treat them with wound sealant. It serves as a kind of plaster and promotes the healing of wounds on the tree. You can get such a wound closure agent from Amazon, for example.
❖ select correct floor:
To prevent it from developing in the first place, make sure that you do not plant fruit trees on sandy and moist soil. These favor the development of gum flow.
❖ Lime trees:
It is also advisable to lime half and tall trunks in autumn to protect them from cold damage such as cracks in the bark. Find out how to do it right here.
❖ Combat pests early:
Control pests such as bark moths and bark beetles, as well as diseases such as leaf curl and shotgun disease, as early as possible. They favor the formation of gum flow. It is best to always hang glue rings to prevent pest infestation.
❖ Cut:
You can also prevent gum flow with the right trimming. To do this, always remove branches that are too close together and have acute angles.
Effectively fight gum flow
If gum flow has spread to a fruit tree, it is best to fight it at the end of February to the beginning of March. To do this, remove the affected areas with a very sharp, disinfected knife. Then close the wound with tree wax.