{"id":15835,"date":"2020-07-08T10:58:41","date_gmt":"2020-07-08T13:58:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/?p=15835"},"modified":"2026-10-23T13:30:10","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T16:30:10","slug":"tree-pruning-sealer-bad-idea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/tree-care\/tree-pruning-sealer-bad-idea\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Painting on Tree Pruning Sealer Is a Bad Idea"},"content":{"rendered":"
Key Takeaways<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\u2022 Sealer does more harm:<\/strong> Pruning sealer traps moisture and blocks the tree’s natural wound compartmentalization.
\u2022 Oak and elm exceptions:<\/strong> Paint wounds on oaks and elms during risk seasons to deter disease-carrying beetles.
\u2022 Prune cleanly instead:<\/strong> Prune in late winter, make clean cuts that keep the branch collar, and sterilize tools.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>

For a long time, it was common practice to use a pruning sealer like tree tar when trimming trees, a seemingly common-sense step recommended by trained arborists and nursery workers alike. Today, homeowners are learning why painting on tree pruning sealer is a bad idea.<\/p>

Research going back to the 1970s found the paint does the opposite of what the label promises: It traps moisture against the cut and blocks the tree’s own sealing process.<\/p>

So let’s talk about why it’s now considered a gardening myth, when the rare exceptions apply, and how yesterday’s tree bandage became today’s bad practice. And if a tree job feels like more than a weekend project, call on LawnStarter’s tree care pros<\/a> to handle the work.<\/p>

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