Using tree pruning sealer has been a common practice for a long time, but is it the right thing to do? In times past, ideas were often given to apply tree pruning sealer to wounds made on trees.
The idea was that this painting would prevent decay, help speed up healing, and improve the appearance of the cut. But recently, it has been found to have adverse effects and in this piece, we want to educate you on why painting on tree pruning sealer is a bad idea.
What Is A Tree Pruning Sealer?
Pruning a tree is great. Pruning creates stronger, sturdier trees, by enabling them to grow only healthy branches.
Plus, pruning makes your tree look better – and results in a larger harvest from fruit trees! Now that’s a delicious reason to prune your trees.
Pruning also minimizes the chances of the tree falling and damaging your property. A healthy tree doesn’t just fall over.
But as soon as your tree is pruned, should you use a pruning sealer on cuts close to the trunk? A tree wound or pruning sealer is a specially developed product that is applied or applied to the exposed cuttings on a branch or any part of the tree after pruning.
For many years, and in some cases to this day, people were told by an arborist that tree wounds needed to be covered with a sealant. A tree pruning sealer is best described as a type of bandage meant to cover the wound. How does this “bandage” supposedly help a tree heal?
1. Helps to heal cuts
2. Reduces sap loss to the minimum
3. Protects trees from rot, insects, and fungus
- Read Also: How To Prune Dahlias
Types Of Tree Wound Sealers
There are several types of popular tree pruning sealers available for buyers, but four of them stand out from the rest. The 4 most common types of tree wound sealants are:
1. Oil-based Sealer
One of the most common types of tree wound sealers, oil-based sealant looks and smells like asphalt. Oil-based sealants may also contain petroleum.
Even though they prevent insects from getting into the wound, they don’t e trees heal faster.
2. Organic Sealer
The most effective type of wound sealant for trees is the all-natural kind. Your tree is used incorrectly.
3. Latex Sealer
A new and improved version of asphalt-based sealer, latex sealer, is less harmful to trees than oil-based sealer and even acts as a repellent against insects.
4. DIY Sealer
One of the most popular and risk-free is aloe gel. There are various types of homemade recipes for DIY tree wound sealers.
Why Tree Sealant Isn’t Necessary
Despite what you could have heard, the usage of a tree pruning sealer after pruning your tree isn’t necessary. What is necessary, however, is the right pruning technique?
Knowing where and how to reduce your timber guarantees that they’re capable of self-healing without complications. There are several good reasons why you should not use tree wound sealant after cutting your branches.
The main reason is that using tree wound sealer products slows down the tree’s natural healing process, contrary to popular belief. It’s important to understand that trees don’t heal after being damaged.
Instead, they isolate the damage through a process called compartmentalization. Something called callus tissue develops at the edge of the wound and gradually grows toward the center of the wound.
When trees are properly pruned, this new growth eventually covers cuts and protects damaged trees. These sealing products are generally petroleum-based, although some may contain asphalt and trap moisture in the tree’s wound, which can cause more problems than it prevents.
Some existing products offer natural ingredients such as collagen, pectin, or aloe vera. Unfortunately, there is also no scientific evidence that they benefit the tree.
Petroleum and asphalt-based wound dressings are known to lock in moisture and rot. It sometimes serves as a food source for pathogens.
Why painting on tree pruning sealer is a bad idea? Another major reason not to use it includes the prevention of compartmentalization which is a crucial step in the tree’s healing process.
Tree Sealant Impact On Human Health
Trees are not the only ones affected by the use of tree pruning sealer because humans are not left out. These products often contain a volatile combination of asphalt and solvent, and they are deemed to be hazardous.
According to the safety data sheet of a popular product, pruning sealants may: Contain gases under pressure and explode if heated. This can lead to serious eye irritation and trauma.
It can also cause skin irritation and may induce genetic defects. There’s a high possibility of developing cancer in the future so, for this product, the label advises the user to wear skin and eye protection and store it in a cool, well-ventilated place.
After learning these facts, it should be a lot easier to understand why you should stop using pruning sealers on your trees.
Should You Seal Pruned Limbs At All?
Now, you know why painting on tree pruning sealer is a bad idea and you can see that it destroys the tree more than it helps. You should not use pruning colors to seal pruned branches.
It is better to let them heal naturally through their biological defense mechanisms. Also, why would you attach a product like asphalt to your tree that can also be used to seal and waterproof gutters, roofing, wooden planters, the bottom of a lawn mower deck, or even small sections of a driveway?
If something claims to be effective for these other outdoor uses, don’t put it on a live tree. It is just best to leave the tree to heal on its own.
PPreventingany damage is better than sealing cuts.
You can minimize problems that may arise during pruning by following these tips:
1. Properly sterilize all pruning tools with a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol solution before and after use. This is true no matter what time of year you’re cutting or what species of tree you’re working on.
2. Control the spread of disease by properly disposing of any infected branches or twigs after pruning. Only use mulch or compost that is free from disease.
3. Make clean, smooth cuts, being careful not to leave any stumps but leaving the collar of the branch intact.
4. Prune trees at the right time, preferably in the spring when they are still dormant and have not yet formed leaves. This makes them less susceptible to infestation or infection.
Do these meticulously and you may not even have to think of using tree pruning sealer.
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The Exception: Oak Trees
Oak trees can be affected by oak wilt. The damage caused can be devastating and irreversible. The fungus that causes the disease spreads from tree to tree, carried by nitidulid beetles that are attracted to the smell of tree sap.
The insects then move to another tree laden with spores of the oak wilt fungus and spread the disease. Covering all the pruned branches with tree pruning sealer quickly will mask the smell of fresh sap before the bugs come along.
Most paint finishes work just as well, and no special rubber or petroleum sealants are required. Wound paint is only necessary for the first two to four days after the cut, so no touch-ups or going out and painting old wounds.
How To Remove Pruning Sealer
By now you must be wondering if using a pruning sealant has caused irreparable damage to your trees. You may also be wondering if you should consider removing it.
That’s not an easy question to answer, and surprisingly, it’s not discussed much online. We suggest that if any sealer has been applied to your prunings, it should be removed if possible.
Unfortunately, due to the chemistry of the sealant, you can’t just peel it off and throw it away. Remove the pruning sealer. from your tree:
Make a new cut. Remove the paint and create a new open wound.
You don’t have to make a new cut too far below the old one. Just a quarter to a half inch is enough if there is enough wood for it.
Make sure it’s a clean, straight cut, and your tools are sterilized. This new wound will cause the tree to start the compartmentalization process and form a new callus to naturally protect the wound.
How Do You Protect A Tree After Cutting A Branch?
Instead of painting on tree pruning sealer, you can use these substitutes to protect your tree:
Non Toxic sealers, or all-natural sealers, are another type of prune sealer that can be helpful when coating tree wounds. They act similarly to asphalt and latex sealers, but they contain none of the chemicals.
Instead, they are based on natural products such as lanolin, beeswax, and other types of natural oils that help to heal the plant rather than hinder growth or block the sap from doing its job normally.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Is The Best Time Of Year To Prune Deciduous Trees?
Prune deciduous trees from late autumn to winter
What Should I Do After Pruning My Tree?
Water regularly as your trees will need plenty of water to help them heal. Add fertilizer periodically.
How Long Does It Take For Tree Wounds To Heal?
It can take 15 to 20 years to complete the compartmentalization process.
What Happens If You Prune A Tree At The Wrong Time?
It puts unnecessary stress on the tree.
How Much Of A Tree Can You Prune Without Killing It?
Do not cut off more than a quarter of a tree at a time.
Final Remarks
Most trees do not require the use of tree wound sealants, but oaks which are trees that have heavy sap flow can benefit from it. In any case, the best way to help a tree heal from an injury, whether it’s from a broken branch or careless pruning, is to make a clean cut in the branch and let it heal naturally.
Why painting on tree pruning sealer is not a good idea? It slows down the tree’s self-healing process and attracts pathogens and diseases.
