My crew thinks I'm nuts for not pruning storm damage right away

I used to cut broken limbs as soon as the weather cleared. Then I noticed trees I left alone for a few days started healing on their own. Now I always wait a week before making any cuts. The natural seal the tree forms means less infection risk later. Everyone says to act fast, but slowing down gives better results.

4 comments

4 Comments

bennett.harper1mo ago

Read an article about this exact thing... trees form a natural seal that's stronger than any quick cut. Waiting a bit really does help.

phoenix_lewis5d ago

Yeah but that seal isn't really stronger, is it? It's just different. The tree walls off the damage with that rough bark, but it's not like it's fused back together. A clean cut later can heal over smoother. Amy_craig28's story is cool about the beetles and birds, but that gap is still a weak spot if another storm hits. Waiting helps you see what you're really dealing with before you maybe make a cut. Sometimes the tree does enough on its own and you don't need to do anything.

oliverrobinson1mo ago

Totally get why your crew thinks that, the usual advice is to jump right in. But waiting a few days lets you see what the tree can actually heal on its own, doesn't it? I've seen those same natural seals form on maples in my yard. Sometimes going slower just works better, even if it looks strange at first.

-1

amy_craig281mo ago

My grandma's apple tree in her backyard got a nasty crack during a hail storm. Everyone told her to chop the branch off immediately, but she refused to rush it. We waited like two weeks, and sure enough, it formed this rough, dark seal all on its own. The cool side effect was that a bunch of beetles moved into the gap before it closed up. Our bird feeder nearby went nuts with woodpeckers coming to snack on them. It was like the tree created its own little ecosystem just by sitting there.