Tree wound sealers have not been shown to have any efficacy at helping trees close wounds, but I'm unaware of any guidelines to treating bacterial canker as I've never had to treat it.

I never use any kind of sealant when I prune- only for grafting.

Thanks h-man! Is there not a chance of fungi during grafting? Or is it still to cold and dry outside? This is not fun. Mrs. G

Is my only alternative to saw off the branches and not protect the wounds? Guess so! ughhhhhh and leave them out to dry to borers and other disease? Mrs. G

The problem with the sealers is they keep them nice and moist to give fungi plenty of time to establish. It's like putting a plastic bag over a wound. Not a great idea.
Also gives access to the canker bacteria. You want it to dry ASAP. If you want to protect the area, you could apply copper locally, you might defoliate the tree if you sprayed all of it. With young 1-2 year old cherry trees to branch correctly on Gisela rootstock, you need to remove some of the buds (more info at MSU sites). Anyway they say to spray with copper after you do this. So it doesn't hurt trees putting in open wounds. It will stop fungi, and bacteria from infecting wound. So if you feel you must treat area, use copper only on the cut.

I have never grafted, but it makes sense to keep it moist till tissues can fuse together. And I have seen it is a must to sterilize everything before you start, so most definitely infection can ruin graft. Why the knife and all are sterilized before using.

This post was edited by Drew51 on Thu, Jun 6, 13 at 14:42

Well, I'm a dirty grafter- never sterilize any of my tools. So far so good after 100's of grafts. Not that it isn't good advice and I'm probably just setting a bad example, but I trust in the antibiotic nature of the wood itself.

They used to say plastic cutting boards were safer than wood until it was realized how much the wood itself kills germs.

Thank you both clean and dirlty grafters. This is an established tree (close to it). I will spray copper on the wounds. Thanks, Mrs. G

Mrs. G.

I bought my Dr. Farwell's grafting seal from a farm store called Oesco Inc..in Conway, MA

You can order on-line. I did because it's too far to drive. It sells a lot of farming/orchard products. I wish it was closer. The service was good. I ordered the wrong product and called in to change it. No problem.

I have bacteria canker on my peach trees, too. All I read on this forum is to make sure the tree is not under stress and to feed it so it could grow stronger and overcome the canker. So, I have not done anything but monitor the wound areas.

The very wet and cold weather we had in March and April could stress the trees out and weaken them so canker has taken advantage of it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dr. Farwell products

Thanks again Mamuang. Just bought nitrogen rich fertilizer for my peach trees. I'll spread it first thing in the morning. Glad I'm not alone in this. Mrs. G

Dear Mrs. G.

Hope you will try your hand on grafting next year. I did it this year using Dr. Farwell grafting seal and watching a lot of Stephen Hayes videos. I grafted A. pears and apple (heard that they are the easiest to graft). Both worked!!!

Let me tell you this, if I can do it, everyone can do it.

You might have to come to my orchard. You tube only goes so far with me. I like lessons with a human being. I'd love to try it. I think of all the varieties I could have! Mrs. G

Dear Mrs. G.,

As a rookie grafter, i would not dare teaching anyone how to graft!!!

You may want to try to convince Harvestman to come up to RI to do some demonstration.

It's easy. Apply the principles of cambium contact and do it.i like s.Hayes videos and received my 1st 'live' instruction from him. Do it. I personally have had great success with late summer budding, from august on, using that years growth.
I'm also doing june budding from dormant wood, but the wood has moved along and has sprouted. My takes in this situation is less.

Ok, will try next spring, I promise. Now I'll need to know the best places to buy scion wood from. Oh egad! I am hooked arent I? Mrs. G

Well, the can of Fertilome seal and heal arrived today. I"ll keep for grafting next spring. :)

Mrs. G.

Check the instruction on the bottle.

My Dr. Farwell states that the product cannot be frozen (or kept in a garage in freezing temp). The store I bought it from did not even ship it to me in early (cold) spring. I store it in the house!!!