All gardeners, even those with only one tree, sooner or later face the problem of pruning trees. But removing extra branches is not all. The question arises: what to do with the place of cut? How to process it and whether it should be done at all? How to make putty for wood? Let's get it right.
Basic recipes
There are perhaps as many recipes for processing the cut site, the bark cracks as there are gardeners. But there are main trends in which all comers make their changes, based on the circumstances.
Putty for trees is used for processing:
- cracks formed during a sharp change in temperature;
- hollowed in tree trunks;
- areas affected by frost or the spring sun;
- branches after cutting or grafting;
Some gardeners believe that wounds do not need to be treated . This is explained by the fact that in the wild forest no one heals trees , but they grow. It happens. Although who knows why the trees in the forest die.
Wounds on fruit trees usually lead to their death. Who wants to risk and lose a tree planted with their own hands, bearing fruit?
Why do you need to cover up wounds
- The larger the cut area, the higher the amount of moisture that flows through it. This weakens the tree.
- Cracks form at the cut site.
- Pathogens, fungi can enter through the wound.
If the bark is damaged, you need to use a sharp clean knife to remove it to the wood with a margin, that is, cut a little and healthy. This place is treated with a disinfectant and var (or putty).
You can not close the wound, but place inside the tissue treated with a growth accelerator. Then wind it with dark polyethylene.
It turns out that the tree itself releases wound acid, which promotes the formation of callus and wound healing. Therefore, the cleaned wound, wrapped in polyethylene, even without the use of heteroauxin (growth accelerator) is healed several times faster than untreated. It is only necessary from time to time to monitor whether the bandage has crashed into the bark and weaken it.
Better to prevent the appearance of wounds. But this is not always possible. Therefore, you need to start treatment as soon as possible.
How to Prevent Damage
Part of the damage does not depend on the person. This is freezing and sunburn. But they can also be prevented. Wrapping trunks for the winter, digging up the vine will help preserve the plants. In early spring, whitewashing lime with trunks and branches of young trees will protect them from burns.
Even the consequences of a windbreak can be prevented by correctly forming a crown and regulating the load of fruits on the branches.
But in some cases, we ourselves inflict wounds on trees. This occurs during pruning during crown formation and inoculation.
How to reduce crop damage
- Do not prune trees in summer. It is better to do this in early spring, beginning in late February, when the threat of severe frosts is over. Can be cut in the fall. But it is not known whether the wound has time to heal before winter.
- Start forming a crown immediately after planting a tree. You need to learn to see it, projecting each of the branches and even the buds for several years to come. If you constantly correctly trim thin shoots, then the cardinal will not take several decades. If the cut branch was 1.5-2 cm in diameter, then the trace from it will quickly be pulled on its own. No additional processing is needed.
- It is advisable to trim when there is no rain.
- The cut should be flat, smooth. All notches, "steps" must be removed. If the branch you are cutting is covered with old bark, they first peel it.
- Sawdust is carefully swept away from the hemp before processing the cut site.
Putty for trees, which is on sale
- Garden var is good to use when processing small areas.
- Garden putty for tree bark "BlagoSad" has good reviews. Wounds, cracks after its use heal by mid-summer.
- Garden paste "RanNet" is highly appreciated by gardeners. It does not harden like a garden var, it is well applied to cuts and wounds, disinfects and heals wounds with high quality.
- Entomological glue.
How to make a putty with your own hands
Not all gardeners are satisfied with the quality of the products that are sold in stores. They like DIY do-it-yourself garden putty for trees. They use old, famous recipes and create their own. See which one of the best cares for trees.
The simplest can be considered a putty made of clay. It can be mixed with mullein. This will make the putty more viscous and reliable, it will stay longer in place of the cut. Add 1 liter of ash to a bucket of clay and mullein. The mixture is diluted with water or one percent copper sulfate in order to make it soft. Vitriol will protect against diseases or help in their treatment.
There are opponents of clay in the processing of trees. They say that this material cracks in the summer, dries quickly and begins to draw moisture from the tree.
Many advise to process the slice with copper sulfate, then with oil paint on a natural drying oil. Use water-based paint, updating it as it is washed off.
Some gardeners use cement mortar to close hollows. Cracks in the bark are covered with a product called "liquid nails."
Foam is used for canning hollows, but it is dangerous for wood.
Putty "Forsyth"
One of the oldest recipes known to gardeners for several centuries. To prepare putty, mix 100 g of river sand, 800 g of lime and ash. Combine with the same amount of cow manure (1600 g). Mix thoroughly to obtain an ointment for the consistency of the dough. It should easily overlap the cut, but not slide off it.
When putty for trees is applied a half centimeter thick, it is sprinkled on top with powder obtained from 60 g of ash and 10 g of chalk.
This tool is not stored for a long time, so it is prepared immediately before use.
Do not use during rain: it is inconvenient to cook, and it will wash off quickly.
Var "Leforta"
This do-it-yourself putty for wood requires more complicated preparation, but it can be stored. For its preparation, 100 g of rosin, 40 g of cow fat, 300 g of alcohol are taken.
The rosin is melted over low heat, fat is introduced. When they melt, cool the mixture a little and pour alcohol. The finished product is bottled to the top and tightly closed.
Var Raevsky
It can be made for those who can get linseed oil.
- Resin - 400 g.
- Rectified alcohol - 60 g.
- Flaxseed oil - 2 tbsp. l
After melting the resin, heated alcohol is introduced into it, constantly mixed. Add oil. The finished product is poured into a wide-necked dish. The fact is that during storage the product hardens, so removing it from the bottle will be problematic. Before use, gain the right amount, warm up to the point in which the putty for the trees will easily overlap the surface of the wound.
Zhukovsky ointment
The ingredients for making this product are rosin, yellow wax and healthy. They are taken in equal parts, softened, and then mixed in a common bowl. The cooled product is placed in a bowl of water. There she cools. A cake is formed, placed in thick paper.
Putty is used to cut the trees at a sufficiently high temperature, when the ointment is not very solid. To prevent wasps from spoiling, the place of application is covered with a rag or other material.
Oil refined products
Melt the paraffin, grind the rosin. 6 parts of paraffin, 3 parts of rosin, 2 parts of any oil are mixed. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Then knead and hide in a jar. Firmly shut.
Ointment with nigrol and paraffin
Nigrol, paraffin and rosin in equal parts are heated in different dishes, mixed by pouring paraffin and rosin into nigrol. Hiding in banks.
There is an opinion of gardeners that it is by no means worth using oil refining products (paraffin, nigrol). Trees die from a chemical burn.
Other gardeners say that this is the most effective putty for tree wounds.
When to putty
It is necessary to process the place of cut immediately after trimming. At this time, the cambium is not yet dry, so the new bark will recover faster.
If you find that the dressing is broken, remove it, treat it with copper sulfate and apply a new one.
How many times do you need to putty
It depends on the quality of the product, weather conditions and the condition of the tree. If the putty for trees has been washed away by rain or cracked in the sun and has fallen off, repeat the lubrication. Perhaps it makes sense to try another remedy.
It happens that the putty seems to fit the plot tightly. But cracks formed in it, and moisture enters through them, causing a process of decay. In this case, urgently need to remove the protective layer and deal with the treatment of wood.
In order for the putty for wood after trimming to hold tightly in place of the cut, some gardeners fix it with bandages, an old spanbond, strips of fabric.
Slices of trees can be wrapped with sphagnum moss, fixing it with twine or other materials.
If there is no clay and cow manure nearby, you can treat the cut site with ordinary earth from under the tree. Top fixed with a bandage.