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Diseased Prune Cut?

I cut a dead branch off my horse chestnut a month or so back and it is not looking very healthy right now. The cut has a yellow and orange foamy goo over most of it and this is oozing down the tree. In the goo I can see some 20 or so very small black insects. They look similar to ants but are only 1mm or so long.

Does someone have an idea what this is and how to treat it?

Many thanks!

Richard

 

 

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Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    Don't worry about the insects, they're just scavenging

    Horse chestnuts don't respond well to cutting back, you get more die back to follow. Your dead branch was probably in response to previous cutting back or other damage. It looks like a pollarded tree, a treatment  Horse chestnuts don't appreciate.

    I fear rot is setting inimage



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    Hi Richard, just realised you're new here, hello and welcomeimage



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Hi nutcutlet,

    Thanks for the reply and the welcome! It is indeed a pollarded horse chestnut. I'd really hate to lose it but from your response it sounds quite terminal. Is there nothing I can do?

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    You may get different opinions but, unless you can remove all dead stuff and still leave enough live tree, the rot will spread.Ssorry. I hate to see a tree go when it's still loved.image



    In the sticks near Peterborough
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