Why Don’t Arborists Paint Cuts with Wound Dressing?

Why Don’t Arborists Paint Cuts with Wound Dressing?

by: Board Certified Master Arborist, Gilbert A Smith
Backyard Wisdom - April/May 2020


Fifty years ago when I was a young “tree skinner” Yes, that’s what they called us and with good reason. I was taught to paint all of the cuts that I made with tree tar. That was the measure of a good job. My father would say, “I saw a lot of ‘white eyes’ in the trees you trimmed today.” What an insult! “White eyes” were the newly exposed round tree cuts that looked like eyes on the branches.

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Invasive Buckthorn Revisited

Invasive Buckthorn Revisited

by: ISA Certified Arborist, Lesley Bruce Smith
Mother Nature’s Moment - April/May 2020

This last winter when attending the iLandscape conference we listened to a seminar entitled Healthy Hedges. It essentially was teaching how to eradicate weedy species from established hedges in the landscape. This is not a new subject to us so I was surprised at the insights I gained. I have never been accused of being a fan of European Buckthorn, ever. I have always said the only good Buckthorn is a dead Buckthorn.

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