Chopping a few branches from Larch & Plum trees

davemorton

I need to chop a large branch from a larch tree and a few minor branches from a plum tree in order to get the roof on my greenhouse. Will I need to coat the cuts with anything, or will they be okay? (Although if I do need to coat the larch tree, I dont know how I am going to reach as its rather high.)

born_blonde

Hi I don't know about Larch but I know you have to be careful with plum.
"To avoid silver leaf disease, prune plum trees in June when they are growing strongly, do not prune in the winter. Try to make the pruning cuts as cleanly as possible, and avoid crushing the wood. If any larger sections of branch are to be pruned, seal the cut with a protective sealer available from garden centres. Burn any diseased or dead wood."
Silver leaf is a very serious disease.
Good luck

Mr.Bump

There is no need to apply any substance to a tree once you have pruned it, here are the reasons why;

Wound dressings do:
• seal in moisture and decay
• sometimes serve as a food source for pathogens
• prevent wound wood from forming
• inhibit compartmentalisation
• eventually crack, exposing the tree to pathogens

Wound dressings do not:
• prevent entrance of decay organisms

• stop rot

These reasons have been known by arborist for at least twenty odd years and very few if any would use a sealant on a wound. However in commercial horticulture they still use wound sealants on fruit trees. But it is not necessary on fruit trees in a domestic garden.

bromsgrovebarry

as a professional horticulturist I agree totally with Mr Bump.