Content
- Remove tree fungi - When and how does it make sense?
- How do the mushrooms get into the tree?
- Prevention instead of fighting - that's how it works
- Successfully fighting tree fungi in their early stages - this is how it works
- Tips
Fungal attack can cause severe damage to the tree
Remove tree fungi - When and how does it make sense?
Tree fungi invade the wood unnoticed to colonize and decompose it. Some fungi are harmless, others extremely destructive and very contagious to neighboring trees. The determination is difficult for the layman, because there are dewy species. As a gardener you are not completely helpless against a fungal infection. This guide explains when and how you can expertly combat tree fungi.
How do the mushrooms get into the tree?
Tree fungi are living things that are composed of fungus and fruiting bodies. Using their spores, the mushrooms penetrate into the wood and run through the entire tree with a fluffy-white mesh, the mycelium. Only at a very advanced stage do the fruiting bodies appear on the bark, as the visible component. These are solely for reproduction by producing new spores and spreading them in the garden.
Prevention instead of fighting - that's how it works
If the fruiting bodies of tree fungi emerge, the mushroom braids in the wood have been causing trouble for years. Fighting the uninvited guests is therefore rarely crowned with success. By denying the cunning spores access to the wood, they effectively prevent fungal attack on trees. The following measures make a valuable contribution to the prevention of fungi:
One of the most important preventive measures is to dig out and remove the entire rhizome every time the tree is cleared. Numerous tree fungi have it on dead wood apart to settle here and spread in the garden.
Successfully fighting tree fungi in their early stages - this is how it works
Removing the colorful fruiting bodies of tree fungi usually does not contribute to recovery. Only at an early stage are there prospects of extending the life of the affected tree by several years. If the fruiting bodies sprout on secondary branches, cut them back into healthy wood. Spore carriers on the trunk and on the main branches are removed before maturity without damaging the bark.
Tips
The most common sources of infection for tree fungi are root wounds. The main cause is the cutter bar of the lawnmower when the grass is mowed on the tree disc. Avoid this risk by covering the root disc with bark mulch, grass paving stones or paving stones.