Wound Sealer?

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ksvanbrunt

ArboristSite Member
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Boise, Idaho-for now
I work for a pretty reputable company and today I was asked to spray on a wound sealer. From my understanding, sealers actually prevent CODIT. It was sprayed on a large wound from a main leader that tore out of a Norway maple in a wind storm. My question is if there is any reason that this is ok or is my gut right in feeling like I need to share some "correct" info with my boss. Thank you!
 
If it is the newer stuff that is not thick tar, it doesn't hurt anything except your pocketbook (and it is not that expensive). It doesn't help either...there is no reason for it outside of masking volatiles in elm and red oak trees so disease carrying beetles don't find the fresh wounds. My preference is to prune those outside of flight season. Spraying a maple in winter? Don't waste the time.
 
If it is the newer stuff that is not thick tar, it doesn't hurt anything except your pocketbook (and it is not that expensive). It doesn't help either...there is no reason for it outside of masking volatiles in elm and red oak trees so disease carrying beetles don't find the fresh wounds. My preference is to prune those outside of flight season. Spraying a maple in winter? Don't waste the time.
Thank you for your input. That definitely makes sense and was my basic thought about it. No point for it. Good to know about red oaks and elms. I'm pretty new to arboriculture in a temperate zone, as I'm from Hawaii, so little bits of info like this are much appreciated. Cheers!
 
It is hard for me to believe that you work for a reputable company that promotes that,, any cert arb's there?
Jeff
True, and that is why I am bummed about the situation. We have a couple CA's on staff, including the owner, and it's a TCIA accredited company. I am just a CTW and feel like I care more about tree care then the CA's around my neck of the woods. Thank you for your reply Jeff
 
If the company has CA's on staff my suggestion is to just go with the flow.

Do as told with a big 'Yes Sir', I can do that.

It won't be long before you'll be making these decision for yourself and others.
 
If the company has CA's on staff my suggestion is to just go with the flow.

Do as told with a big 'Yes Sir', I can do that.

It won't be long before you'll be making these decision for yourself and others.
Cheers for that. Definitely do try to have a yes sir attitude at work, as long as safety isn't compromised.
 
True, and that is why I am bummed about the situation. We have a couple CA's on staff, including the owner, and it's a TCIA accredited company. I am just a CTW and feel like I care more about tree care then the CA's around my neck of the woods. Thank you for your reply Jeff

I have about come to the the conclusion you can take TCIA accredited, put forty cents with it, and buy one of those Walmart brand colas.
 
True, and that is why I am bummed about the situation. We have a couple CA's on staff, including the owner, and it's a TCIA accredited company. I am just a CTW and feel like I care more about tree care then the CA's around my neck of the woods. Thank you for your reply Jeff

Well, you do live in Idaho, for now,
Say what you want about TCIA, but where I work, if you are not TCIA Accredited, you will miss out on the job's that set you apart from the hack's and low bidder's. It is an expense, but if any of you can say you make a couple million a year with about 10 to 12 guy's without it, then hat's off to you.
Jeff :cool:
 
Well, you do live in Idaho, for now,
Say what you want about TCIA, but where I work, if you are not TCIA Accredited, you will miss out on the job's that set you apart from the hack's and low bidder's. It is an expense, but if any of you can say you make a couple million a year with about 10 to 12 guy's without it, then hat's off to you.
Jeff :cool:


And you said it, Jeff. "But where I work". So I suppose it's a regional thing. Around here, it doesn't amount to a pile of cat crap. The way it works around here the who's who's want to know what other who's who's have you worked for and do they recommend you. They don't give a rat's ass about TCIA accreditation. Around here you make the right people happy and that's the bottom line. I sold a $60,000 pre construction tree preservation and damage mitigation project last month and the way I got it was have the would be client call the owner of one we did back in 2012. Both these guys are among the wealthiest in Texas. He gave us a thumbs up and we were good to go. These guys don't a F about TCIA accreditation and they are not going to take the time to care about it or look it up.
 
That seems to be especially true in rural America... in the bigger cities in the midwest, certification helps, but out in the backwoods, wingnut agricultural communities it's just "the gubbermint tryin' to keep workin' folks poor" and "some high-falootin' lefty crap" because they really have no idea what any of it is about. The most common line I hear is, "they've been doing it for a long time" which, in their minds, means that a company knows what they are doing. The last time I heard this was in reference to a tree service that hacks and tops away at trees with abandon, never uses any form of PPE whatsoever, one-hands big saws from a bucket truck, has workers and clients and dogs and children running around under the tree, kicks stuff into the chipper chute with their feet, doesn't own a single hank of climbing or rigging rope, not a single harness of any kind, not a single lanyard or spurs, are never tied in while in the bucket, and buy all of their equipment at utility company auctions. But, they've been doing it for a long time, so they must know what they're doing.
 
That seems to be especially true in rural America... in the bigger cities in the midwest, certification helps, but out in the backwoods, wingnut agricultural communities it's just "the gubbermint tryin' to keep workin' folks poor" and "some high-falootin' lefty crap" because they really have no idea what any of it is about. The most common line I hear is, "they've been doing it for a long time" which, in their minds, means that a company knows what they are doing. The last time I heard this was in reference to a tree service that hacks and tops away at trees with abandon, never uses any form of PPE whatsoever, one-hands big saws from a bucket truck, has workers and clients and dogs and children running around under the tree, kicks stuff into the chipper chute with their feet, doesn't own a single hank of climbing or rigging rope, not a single harness of any kind, not a single lanyard or spurs, are never tied in while in the bucket, and buy all of their equipment at utility company auctions. But, they've been doing it for a long time, so they must know what they're doing.

Oh, I understand what you are getting at there. And yes, there is plenty of that around here. But we don't have those folks for clients. We work almost exclusively for higher end clients. And yes, at least around here especially when it comes to PHC they are looking at your record of past results more than anything. Of course if you are perpetuating bad practices in any aspect of tree work/care they likely would pick up on that pretty quick but TCIA accredited just isn't a selling point here yet. And I still stick with the conclusion you can take TCIA accredited, put forty cents with it, and buy one of those Walmart brand colas.
 
Air is what stimulates the biochemical reactions/chemical barrier to occur so the tree is protected from insects and pathogens.
The tar or black stuff is known to promote infection due to it being impermeable.

The tree may not be protected at all.
Flush cuts provide lotsa air, no? Intermodal cuts? Large heartwood exposures?


A link I like. The author I like as well.
(the historic tree preservationist guru less fond of some of the info)

https://www.warnell.uga.edu/outreach/pubs/pdf/forestry/Pruning assessment 12-28.pdf
 
sorry, the truth is the truth,,,
Jeff

You gotta figure too, Jeff. You don't do residential. The outfit you are with is more or less completely unknown in most circles in San Diego. Don't believe that?...ask around any high end residential venue...they will have never heard of Urban. But I guess commercial folks are familiar with you. And I understand who you are marketing to. And it shows. Do a google search for San Diego tree service. I don't even think I saw a hit on the first fifteen pages. But you ask in any of the nicer residential neighborhoods in our service area and I guarantee they will be familiar with McKee Tree Service. We were the first in my county just east of Dallas to offer many services and we are still the only tree service in my county that offers those services. We are the only outfit within 50 miles of us that has been perpetually in the tree business for over 30 years. We developed and published our own safety manuals specific to our operation 25 years ago back when TCIA was NAA and their main goal was just to sell memberships. But I can see how TCIA accreditation could help the outfit you are with. The day, however, when I need some guys from NAA...errr TCIA to come in and put their stamp of approval on me so I can get more work is the day I quit this ******* gig.
 

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