Question
My old, formerly-healthy Alameda, CA weeping willow is suddenly exuding a clear, gelatinous substance I believe to be frothy flux, from other information I've read. Is it prudent to err on the side or letting it run its course since the disease never seems to go away completely, or is it more prudent to "excise, treat with 10% bleach" and attempt control the disease and/or its spread? Thank you, Diane  

Answer
Larger, reasonably healthy trees seem to outgrow the problem. A weaker tree may have frothy flux for a year or two; the problem may seem to go away for a year or two and then reappears. Improving the health and vigor of the tree helps reduce the chances of the problem becoming severe.
I would fertilize the tree with 10-10-10 fertilizer at the rate of 1 lb of fertilizer per inch of trunk diameter scattered around the tree and watered in good. Put the fertilizer out just before a rain storm and you will not need to water. i would fertilize now and again in the spring. this will increase the overall health of the tree.