Sappy Pine Trees Might Need Pruning Paint

Q. I trim my 80 foot pine tree every 7 to 8 years. Each time I have buckets and buckets of sap coming from cut limbs. It just re-landscaped underneath this tree but I need to prune it again. I'm worried about all the sap that is going to fall on everything I just put down. Is there a way I might prevent the sap from dripping like using pruning paint?

In This Case Pruning Paint Might Be the Right Choice

Q. I have a large pine tree in my front yard. I trimmed this tree in the past and had buckets and buckets of sap coming from large limbs that were cut. I may need to prune heavily again this winter. But since I just completed relandscaping under it, I'm worried about all the sap that is going to fall on everything I just put down. I'll never get off all the sap that will drip on everything!! Is there a way I might prevent or stop the sap from dripping such as pruning paint? Is there anything to save all my hard work from being completely being encapsulated in sap?

Mesquite Tree Can Bleed Profusely When Cut

Mesquite tree with sap running down
from a pruning cut

Q. This is about mesquite trees of which I have two in my front yard. Last fall I had both trees trimmed quite drastically by a recommended tree service. They are coming back very nicely except one limb is dripping what I thought was oil; a dark stain looking like oil or tar. 

            At first, I thought the gardeners had dripped oil over the rocks and over my lantern with their equipment.  Then I looked up!  I don’t know what to do about this; I clean up the area as best I can and within a week, it looks like it had never been cleaned. Is this something I should worry about, or should I just keep on cleaning?  Only one limb on one tree is doing this.

A. Mesquite trees can bleed quite profusely when they have been cut. This is nothing to worry about and it should stop by now.

            Out of curiosity you might just take your finger to this sap and smell it. If it has a strong yeasty smell and it attracts flies it's possible it could be a relatively minor disease problem called Wetwood or slime flux. I just mention this because it is more of a curiosity than anything else.

            There is really not much you can do about this disease and it should not have any long-lasting effects on the health of the plant. This is not true of this disease and a couple of others but mesquite it should be no problem. It is going to be unsightly.

            If the liquid persists, it is possible to drill a hole at the bottom of where it is leaking and    tap in a 2 or 3 inch tube into the hole so that the liquid runs down and out the tube, not down the side of the tree. Make sure all is sterile when puncturing or putting a hole or cut into plants.