I have just performed a tree reduction on my 40 year old sycamore. Bless the old tree that has been molested by the city over the years; topped, centered, etc., to releave passage of utility lines, telephone, etc. The tree has been forced to go divergent with the center (top) removed, and over the years come near it's demise due to horizontal growth and very heavy limbing. My question is how to seal the remnants of the topped center section. I have read that concrete is not appropriate for many reasons. The tree appears to be healthy, but will undoubtably see an early end unless I can seal the openings. Thanks in advance for any suggestions. DLK

Greetings Dennis:

No, concrete is definitely not appropriate for sealing a tree. Being a traditional dirt-forester and not not a concrete-forester like some of my former classmates, I often rely on them for their urban forestry and arboriculture knowledge.

Here is the standard recommendation when it comes to tree sealants, "Do nothing, leave it alone, and let the tree compartmentalize on its own; and the use of sealants is generally not recommended, nor warranted."

Best of luck!