I have several Cleveland Pear trees.
A neighbor who seems to be very knowledgeable has told me what limbs to prune and why. Makes sense.
He also says to not use the stuff sold in hardware stores to 'coat' the cuts, but to instead use a mix of latex paint and mouthwash (to kill germs).
I never heard of this one - but it seems possible.
Any comments anyone?
Geezer
Well I've been pruning fruit trees for nearly thirty years now. I've heard of a lot of things but that is a new one.
Truth is most pruning cuts heal over very well without any "protective" coating. The fact is many can actually be potentialy harmful. If you do use one check with a local nursery. They'd have a betterselection than any hardware store and be more knowledgable as well.
D. Mo
I don't know about that mixture, but trees have a great ability to heal themselves without any coating. 6 years ago, a guy wrapped his car around a large blue spruce at my son's house. It removed the bark about 3/4 of the way around and the tree still looks great. You can cut small branches off with no ill effects, and no treatment. Start by cutting off all branches that point inward. Then cut branches that rub together. Then thin the rest, but be sure not to take too many branches off, because the tree needs enough leaves for photosynthesis.
Most tree experts now recommend that you don't put *anything" on the stumps of pruned limbs. Does more harm than good.
Don't prune too close to the trunk (don't cut into the "swollen" bit around the base of the branch) and don't paint over the cuts with anything. A healthy tree has plenty of natural response to losing branches and will repair itself quite happily.
Seems unanimous, I really thought 'wound dressing' would be a benefit. So did my advisor, who impressed me with his knowledge. Thanks
Geezer
I think the most important thing is to make the cut in the proper manner that the wound will heal quickly and healthy. Jack
: > A neighbor who seems to be very knowledgeable has told me what limbs : > to prune and why. Makes sense. : >
: > He also says to not use the stuff sold in hardware stores to 'coat' : > the cuts, but to instead use a mix of latex paint and mouthwash (to : > kill germs). : >
: > I never heard of this one - but it seems possible. : >
: > Any comments anyone? : : Most tree experts now recommend that you don't put *anything" on the : stumps of pruned limbs. Does more harm than good. :
They also recommend angle-cuts and being careful not to let the wood "split". The angle cuts insure water doesn't flow across the cut surface but mostly drip past it. Makes sense, I think.
Pop
limbs
I think painting over the wound was old school. As a (coffee) farmer and we need to prune each tree, in some fashion, annually, I do see limbs heal perfectly without any thing applied. As someone mentioned above, do not cut too close to the trunk of the tree. It needs to make a collar over the wound.
aloha, Thunder
smithfarms.com Farmers of 100% Kona Coffee & other Great Stuff
If coating of the pruned limbs isn't necessary, what about coating pruned roots, that will be covered by dirt again, or by a section of sidewalk?
Maybe I'm pretending the tree is like a human, but it seemed there was more chance for infection in the cold wet earth of a root, than in the fresh air of a limb.
Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let me know if you have posted also.
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