CELEBRATING 28 YEARS! Welcome to My weekly series! THE LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONAL ASK Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc. for the last 26 years. She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany, an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects. Hi Linda - Many of our tree branches broke off during a big storm and my father told me to get tree wound paint and put it on the wounds. Is that good advice?..Amy Hi Amy, Thank you for your question. No, it is not good to use tree wound paint. Years ago, it was common to paint tree wounds, but more recent research has shown that tree wound paint hurts a tree. Paint cuts off the oxygen supply to the damaged area and creates a perfect environment for disease micro-organisms. When damage occurs, tree branch damage and wounds need to be properly pruned and trimmed to allow the tree the best chance to repair itself. Many people mistakenly cut a damaged branch back flush with the main EMAIL OR MAIL YOUR QUESTIONS TO: info@sprigsandtwigs.net or Linda Lillie, Sprigs & Twigs Inc, PO Box 245, Gales Ferry, CT 06335 stem, which creates a larger area for decay. Leave the collar of wood that exists at the base of the branch and make a clean, smooth cut. Also, larger tree wounds often have ragged pieces of torn bark showing. You should take a sharp knife and cut the bark back to where it is solidly attached and create an oval shape (see picture). Trees do not "heal", but "seal" themselves by a process called "compartmentalization" where new wood gradually grows around the damaged wood (see picture). Eventually this callus tissue will completely cover the damage. Not only do trees protect themselves from the outside, there is a process inside in the tree that sets up chemical boundaries to protect the tree from decay organisms. Sprigs & Twigs, Inc offers a complete range of Tree Care Services: storm damage recovery, tree pruning, tree fertilization, Tree removal, cabling and stump grinding. Feel free to contact us for a free consultation. WE'RE GOING DIGITAL! SCAN THE QR CODE, OR GO TO THE LINK BELOW! SUBMIT YOUR OWN QUESTIONS, GET FREE GARDENING ADVICE, AND SAVE YOUR FAVORITES. Sprigs & Twigs WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET | 860-235-0752 https://mailchi.mp/sprigsandtwigs/np-subscribe CELEBRATING 28 YEARS ! Welcome to My weekly series ! THE LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONAL ASK Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs , Inc. for the last 26 years . She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany , an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional , a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects . Hi Linda - Many of our tree branches broke off during a big storm and my father told me to get tree wound paint and put it on the wounds . Is that good advice ? .. Amy Hi Amy , Thank you for your question . No , it is not good to use tree wound paint . Years ago , it was common to paint tree wounds , but more recent research has shown that tree wound paint hurts a tree . Paint cuts off the oxygen supply to the damaged area and creates a perfect environment for disease micro - organisms . When damage occurs , tree branch damage and wounds need to be properly pruned and trimmed to allow the tree the best chance to repair itself . Many people mistakenly cut a damaged branch back flush with the main EMAIL OR MAIL YOUR QUESTIONS TO : info@sprigsandtwigs.net or Linda Lillie , Sprigs & Twigs Inc , PO Box 245 , Gales Ferry , CT 06335 stem , which creates a larger area for decay . Leave the collar of wood that exists at the base of the branch and make a clean , smooth cut . Also , larger tree wounds often have ragged pieces of torn bark showing . You should take a sharp knife and cut the bark back to where it is solidly attached and create an oval shape ( see picture ) . Trees do not " heal " , but " seal " themselves by a process called " compartmentalization " where new wood gradually grows around the damaged wood ( see picture ) . Eventually this callus tissue will completely cover the damage . Not only do trees protect themselves from the outside , there is a process inside in the tree that sets up chemical boundaries to protect the tree from decay organisms . Sprigs & Twigs , Inc offers a complete range of Tree Care Services : storm damage recovery , tree pruning , tree fertilization , Tree removal , cabling and stump grinding . Feel free to contact us for a free consultation . WE'RE GOING DIGITAL ! SCAN THE QR CODE , OR GO TO THE LINK BELOW ! SUBMIT YOUR OWN QUESTIONS , GET FREE GARDENING ADVICE , AND SAVE YOUR FAVORITES . Sprigs & Twigs WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET | 860-235-0752 https://mailchi.mp/sprigsandtwigs/np-subscribe