wound seal

[BDChainsaw]

I've seen how not using wound seal especially on maples causes rot problems. What about trimming? Since most are petroleum based does this affect regrowth? Too high to look at others work and not enough time to wait and see for myself.

 

[beastmaster]

I don't think using wound seal on a maple will prevent decay. More likely help promote it. Wound sealing is one of those out dated practices that won't go away.
I know there are a few rare instances where sealing a wound may be beneficial, but there far and few between. I have painted a cut at the customers request for cosmetic reasons only, and even that was a light coat of spray paint.

 

[BDChainsaw]

I have seen where limbs have been cut to the specks 3-4" for healing and lead to rot back in to the trunk weakening the tree structuraly. I had attributed this to not being sealed. But you say it wouldn't have mattered?

 

[beastmaster]

In study's they've found pruner sealants can lock in moisture and promote decay. The sealant can give insects a tidy place to hide out and do damage. I was trying to find a study I read to show you, but can't find it right now. But just google sealing tree wounds and you'll get a ton of advice for not sealing or painting wounds.
I only have experience with soft wood maples like the silver leaf maple, and they are notorious for not compartmentalizing their wounds well. pruning cuts bigger then a few inches will often rot right into the main trunk or leader. A beautiful tree if only minimal pruning is done on them, but ugly,dangerous bee and ant infested if topped or have large cuts taking out of them.

 

[BDChainsaw]

So keep it to a minimum and just hope for the best?

 

[TreeFrogTC]

Why is this question still being asked whats next when is the best time to cut my tree in half to make it safer!

 

[grnwaylawncare]

Wound Seal debate

Because it's a legitimate question.

We, in New England, had a freak snow storm this past weekend. We got up to 2 ft. of heavy, wet snow after a strange fall season that had even the red maples holding their foliage until now. This resulted in a ton of damage to our deciduous trees. We're now left with snapped branches in oaks, maples, and other species that will be seriously challenged to heal without proper treatment. Most of these wounds are in the branches pointing skyward and using some kind of wound dressing would have seemed to make sense.

I came to this forum because I have the same questions as BDchainsaw. My experience is mostly with lawn care but my education and experience on my own property has prompted me to offer my customers pruning and care for their damaged trees and shrubs (There's more tree work here now than there ever was!). I know how to properly prune but the dressing thing was still a question until I read these posts.

Most of the big suppliers still offer wound sealing agents for sale, but from what I'm hearing from you experienced arborists is that they're not necessary and that you don't use them. Therefore I won't bother unless I hear any differently from you.

Thanks for the input

 

[Grouchy old man]

Most of the damage is large tears that have no chance of healing. Most probably the tree will be compromised unless the damage is only to a limb that can be pruned back. I have seen wound dressing applied to tears just to make them look better, but nothing is going to help.

 

[Grace Tree]

I have seen wound dressing applied to tears just to make them look better, but nothing is going to help.

I always carry a can for that purpose. Couple of weeks ago I dragged some equipment on a freshly blacktopped road. It left a big white groove. Since it was a high end neighborhood I got my little can out and made it disappear. I had one customer who insisted that we put sealer on a pruned elm. We said no. When I drove by the job the next week they were sealed. Must have climbed a ladder and done it herself. We use it exclusively to cover our mistakes. If the mistakes are to big to cover with wound sealer we just throw everything in the back of the truck and drive away as fast as we can.:redface:
Phil

 

[ATH]

...I had one customer who insisted that we put sealer on a pruned elm...

Sealing the wounds on elm and red oakduring the growing season[/url] are the only 3 times it makes sense. The point is not to "seal" the wood from rot, but rather to mask the volitiles so disease carrying beetles (dutch elm disease in elm, oak wilt in red oak) are less likely to find those wounds. My preferred method of dealing with those pests is to simpyl prune outside of the flight season for those...