How to Care for a Wound in a Tree Cavity

Trees have long and impressive lifespans, with some trees, such as the 4,800-year-old Methuselah, outliving generations of humans. Trees naturally sustain injury throughout their lives. Animals wound trees when they claw at or eat the bark. Pruning accidents can damage trees as well. When a tree gets injured, its wound does not heal as a human's would. Instead, the tree seals the wound over with new bark. Wounded trees require minimal care as they go through the healing process.

Knife
Concrete
Tin sheet

Instructions

- 1
  Use a knife to cut off any ragged or protruding pieces of tree bark that surround the wound.
- 2
  Cut off bark to shape the wound like an elongated oval. This shape allows for the fastest sealing.
- 3
  Remove decayed wood within the cavity that peels away easily. Do not attempt to tear out decayed wood that does not come out easily. This will damage the tree and may shorten its life.
- 4
  Fill the cavity with concrete if desired. Filling it with concrete may stop the sealing callus from curling in on itself, but the tree will seal normally without concrete.
- 5
  Cover the cavity with a sheet of tin. This keeps out pests and allows the tree to seal properly.

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