Posted: 10/10/2016 4:21:30 PM EDT
|
The recent storm tore off two limbs off my Bradford pear tree. It left a decent sized hole in the trunk. What is the best way to try and save it? The wife said she read that using expanding foam works well as it seals against water. Sounds iffy to me. I know that pooling water will rot it. |
|
Quoted:
The recent storm tore off two limbs off my Bradford pear tree. It left a decent sized hole in the trunk. Whatis the best way to try and save it? The wife said she read that using expanding foam works well as it seals against water. Sounds iffy to me. I know that pooling water will rot it. Get some of that tree "tar" that trimmers place on the tree when they remove branches, and want to stop branch growth. . |
|
All that tree sealing business with tar and pruning sealer and all the rest is a BAD idea. Don't seal it. Water ALWAYS gets in behind, then promotes rot. In addition, it prevents the tree from healing. When you get a big nasty cut, it eventually heals. If you go and slap tar on it, you interfere with natural healing...
I've taken the chain saw to apples tons. Father in law was a commercial apple grower. A nice clean cut, and forget it. Over time, the tree will scab over and heal. New bark and cambium will grow over and seal it all up. Slap cement, and tar and sealer and shit on there,and it never heals and the tree dies... This is also the same info I've been given from the commercial tree grower in the next town, the guy who has been grafting and cultivating and selling trees as a full time living for about 35 years.... If the wound is so damned bad that the tree is torn all to hell, that tree is already dead. It just don't know it yet. I say leave it be. If you notice that the bark is quickly starting to roll over the wound edges, and growing in, you have a nice strong healthy tree that may recover. But all that goop and slop and crap people smear on trees is well intentioned but usually is sort of like pouring battery acid on a paper to "make sure it doesnt get infected". Its more harm than good. Contact your municipality arborist. Ask. I suspect you'll get the same info, |