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wound paste 7 years 1 month ago #29767

  • tommyboy26
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i have read about the use of cut paste online and how it can help prevent scars on the tree but there was also some arguments for letting the tree heal naturally with sunlight and time.

just curious about who uses cut paste and who does not and there reasoning for doing so?

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wound paste 7 years 1 month ago #29768

  • Auk
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just curious about who uses cut paste and who does not and there reasoning for doing so?


I don't use it. I have in the past, but I have no real material to compare whether it works or not.
Note that trees do not heal wounds. The wound will be walled off and it may callus over, but it will not heal the way our body heals.
Therefore, I think using cut paste - which would to me looks like using a bandage - will not really work, and leaving the wound exposed will work better.
Again, I have no proof of that.
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wound paste 7 years 1 month ago #29769

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Note that trees do not heal wounds.


To back that up:
northernwoodlands.org/articles/article/w...-whys-how-trees-heal

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wound paste 7 years 1 month ago #29771

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And from that article:

"Whereas we may do well to slather a cut with anti microbial ointment and cover it with a bandage, this is decidedly not helpful to a tree. Applying paint or tar or other dressings and fillers – while a great temptation to tree lovers everywhere – actually interferes with the normal progression of a tree’s wound response and should be avoided. "

Seems that proves my point.

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wound paste 7 years 1 month ago #29772

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I'm on a roll here... re-researching some of my old links, found this page that list quite a few myths, including this one:

source: ofbonsai.org/the-last-page/editorials/de...-the-myths-of-bonsai

Wound Dressings Do:

Seal in moisture and decay
Sometimes serve as a food source for pathogens
Prevent wound wood from forming
Inhibit Compartmentalization
Eventually crack, exposing the tree to pathogens
Wound Dressings Do Not:

Prevent entrance of decay organisms
Stop Rot

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wound paste 7 years 1 month ago #29773

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My initial thought was if bonsai is the art of growing trees naturally but in smaller size that using a wound paste to hide a scar is the oppisite of natural. So I don't think I will use it.

Thank you auk for taking the time to respond once again I am thankful for your help!

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wound paste 7 years 1 month ago #29777

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I do use it on species that are known to callus over well, most notably maples. I find that the speed at which callus developes is a lot higher than without cut past. Effectively, the higher moisture levels ensure that the young callus does not dry out.

I think a lot of publications on cut paste base their info on full sized trees and the aftercare there, which might be whole other story.
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wound paste 7 years 1 month ago #29779

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I think a lot of publications on cut paste base their info on full sized trees and the aftercare there, which might be whole other story.


Good point. The article indeed concerns full sized trees, which makes me wonder if the 'Myths' page has based their info on this same, or a similar, article.
I don't use it on junipers or other conifers - as the cut will usually become a jin or shari.
On deciduous trees I don't use it either and they do heal over nicely. I cannot compare the difference, I can post some photos of untreated wounds.

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wound paste 7 years 1 month ago #29783

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I do use it on species that are known to callus over well, most notably maples. I find that the speed at which callus developes is a lot higher than without cut past. Effectively, the higher moisture levels ensure that the young callus does not dry out.

I think a lot of publications on cut paste base their info on full sized trees and the aftercare there, which might be whole other story.


what about a trunk chop? would you use something to cover that wound? on let's say a pine? A trunk chop, as far as I've read should be higher than the actual place where the new leader should be, in order to prevent die-back of the new leader. is there any way to speed up the process after the chop?

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Last edit: Post by tubaboy. Reason: incomplete

wound paste 7 years 1 month ago #29787

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Once the plant starts growing, you are supposed to cut back down to the leader. And yes. Then I would use cut paste. Not on a pine or juniper. There you do not want to flush cut..

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