Loading…
10
Heard a guy at the nursery call a tree wound dressing 'tree band-aids' and it clicked
I was picking up some bare root stock yesterday and overheard a customer asking about sealing a big pruning cut, and the nursery worker just said 'those tree band-aids don't really help it heal, they just make us feel better.' I'd always been taught to use the stuff, but now I'm second guessing. What's the real deal on wound dressings for big cuts over 3 inches?
4 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In4 Comments
karenc205mo ago
Yeah, @david134 nailed it, right?
6
david1345mo ago
That "make us feel better" line is spot on. It's like putting a bandage on a cut that needs air. The tree already has its own system for sealing wounds, it just takes time. Slapping tar or paint on there can trap moisture and rot, which is worse than leaving it alone. I've seen big old cuts on oaks that healed fine with just a clean edge and some years. The dressing mostly just makes the cut look neat to people walking by.
4
jesse_lopez145mo ago
But doesn't that trapped moisture argument depend on the climate? In super dry places, a sealant might actually prevent cracking while it closes up.
7
rose_clark812mo ago
Oof, guilty. I've definitely slapped some tree band-aids on my own mistakes before. 😅
1