Learned the hard way that pruning paint is mostly useless

I was out on a job last month trimming a big old oak tree for a homeowner in Eugene. The guy came out and insisted I paint every single cut over 2 inches wide with that black pruning sealer. I did it to keep him happy but I felt like an idiot the whole time. Later I talked to a retired arborist at the hardware store who told me the paint actually traps moisture and slows down the tree's natural healing process. Has anyone else run into clients that swear by the old pruning paint method?

2 comments

2 Comments

evanfox10d ago

Did the paint come off clean or was it glued on there like a bad tattoo?

ninas7010d ago

My grandpa was a tree cutter back in the 70s and he swore by that black paint for everything. I remember helping him as a kid and watching him slather it on. But I got into pressure washing jobs where I see a lot of older trees with rot around old cuts, and I started looking into it myself. Most research I've seen says the paint does more harm than good by sealing in moisture and preventing the tree from sealing itself off naturally. I get why old timers like it because it looks neat and feels like you're helping, but the science doesn't back it up. The retired arborist was right, your client was asking for trouble. I'd just tell homeowners straight up that the paint is outdated and can actually make healing worse.