Aluminum foil tape as sealer

[Juanmi]

Hello there!

I watched some time ago a video on YouTube a out using aluminum tape as a sealer.

I saw some posts here talking about this, but not much information, so I wanted to know if someone uses the aluminum foil technique, and if so, what results are tou getting.

So in the video there was a biologist talking about the properties of the aluminium.

1. It is antifungal
2. It is antibacterial
3. It is astringent, causing the contraction of skin cells (having the same effect on plants tissue), which helps to retain proteins, which helps to cell division, which helps to form the callus faster.

Any thoughts?

(If you want to watch the video I could post a link, but it's in Spanish)

 

[rockm]

Aluminum tape as is duct tape? Not really a great thing to use, offers no real advantages over other sealants. It's not air tight and can damage the tree when removed...Ever try to remove duct tape after it's been weathered onto something by sun, rain, etc.? It's not easy...

If you're after less expensive alternative, try duct seal, vaseline covered by duct tape, wood glue.

 

[Juanmi]

Aluminum tape as is duct tape? Not really a great thing to use, offers no real advantages over other sealants. It's not air tight and can damage the tree when removed...Ever try to remove duct tape after it's been weathered onto something by sun, rain, etc.? It's not easy...

If you're after less expensive alternative, try duct seal, vaseline covered by duct tape, wood glue.

I think we're not talking about the same thing. It's not duct tape, it's really aluminium foil with adhesive.

 

[rockm]

I think we're not talking about the same thing. It's not duct tape, it's really aluminium foil with adhesive.

Mostly the same thing. Not great...

https://www.amazon.com/3M-3311-Silver-Aluminum-Foil/dp/B007Y7EOT0/ref=sr_1_4?c=ts&keywords=Adhesive+Tapes&qid=1662992154&refinements=p_n_feature_seven_browse-bin%3A3071222011&s=industrial&sr=1-4&ts_id=256159011

 

[Juanmi]

Mostly the same thing. Not great...

https://www.amazon.com/3M-3311-Silver-Aluminum-Foil/dp/B007Y7EOT0/ref=sr_1_4?c=ts&keywords=Adhesive+Tapes&qid=1662992154&refinements=p_n_feature_seven_browse-bin%3A3071222011&s=industrial&sr=1-4&ts_id=256159011

Have you used it?

 

[TomB]

I have used it and @rockm is correct. It works well, but can rip off the bark surface and new callus tissue when you remove it.

 

[Juanmi]

I have used it and @rockm is correct. It works well, but can rip off the bark surface and new callus tissue when you remove it.

The thing is I have tried it, but I think not long enough. (And my trees didn't have much growth this season, so I didn't really see any significant results)

I had no problem at all removing it, and I'm not really concerned about that.

What I'm really interested in is in the wounds healing faster. Have someone experienced this?

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I use this kind of tape in the laboratory for a number of things. One of the most important features is that it doesn't release aluminium into our samples because that would seriously screw them up.
Also, if the tape would release aluminium.. It wouldn't be good tape for air ducts and other things because it breaks down. You'd want that kind of tape to last for over a decade.

That means all the beneficial properties can be thrown out of the window. So using any other tape would work just as well. Maybe the alu tape stays a little cooler due to reflection, or it gets hotter because it's metal.

The smell of the glue however.. Dang, I love it. I can believe that the glue itself might have some antibacterial properties, it smells somewhat like cedrus or juniper resin.

 

[HardBall]

Has any one used aluminium tape for healing cuts?

Came across this thread and was wondering if any has used this technique and if it was effective. https://www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/bonsai-care/calendar

www.bonsainut.com

Also from Bonsai Empire:

The use of adhesive aluminum tape (0.5 mm thickness) for healing has been adapted to bonsai by the master Harumi Miyao, renowned in Japan as the greatest expert on Japanese maple, Acer palmatum. The technique consists of covering the perfectly flat (not concave!) cut with a piece of aluminum tape which goes 2 centimeters beyond the edge of the cut all round. Healing then takes half the time that it does with other methods, and there is no swelling. Read more about Pruning Bonsai trees.

Adhesive aluminum tape can be used to heal wounds. Cover the wound, which must be very flat.

It will heal quickly, without swelling.

 

[rockm]

Has any one used aluminium tape for healing cuts?

Came across this thread and was wondering if any has used this technique and if it was effective. https://www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/bonsai-care/calendar

www.bonsainut.com

Also from Bonsai Empire:

The use of adhesive aluminum tape (0.5 mm thickness) for healing has been adapted to bonsai by the master Harumi Miyao, renowned in Japan as the greatest expert on Japanese maple, Acer palmatum. The technique consists of covering the perfectly flat (not concave!) cut with a piece of aluminum tape which goes 2 centimeters beyond the edge of the cut all round. Healing then takes half the time that it does with other methods, and there is no swelling. Read more about Pruning Bonsai trees.

Adhesive aluminum tape can be used to heal wounds. Cover the wound, which must be very flat.

It will heal quickly, without swelling.

Any actual proof it heals twice as fast? I'd guess not...As for the not swelling part, weelllll, this is a two dimensional pic. If you ask me, there does appear to be swelling in the middle.

FWIW, If you bind any wound with compression tape you can reduce callus swelling and direct growth, hell they grow square watermelons in Japan by putting small melons into plexiglass boxes and letting them grow. Thing here is, adhesive stuck to bark is NOT a good thing. If it's there for a couple of years in sunlight, frost, etc. that adhesive breaks down, binding it to whatever is beneath it. Pulling stuff off like that can be a gummed up mess...just sayin, this isn't a "new" technique. Here in the states people have used duct tape over vaseline on hard pruned collected trees for a very long time. I first heard about it back in the 90's being used on trunk chopped hornbeam. Seems to work, but it's a mess and not really worth the effort.

 

[Ply]

The use of Aluminium foil tape I've personally never heard of. But the use of regular aluminum foil, on top of vaseline (or cut paste) for bigger wounds is somewhat common. Most well known name associated with the use of vaseline+aluminum foil is Nick Lenz. Supposedly it speeds up the healing process. I've started doing it too, but too early to report any findings, other than that it's easy to apply and cheap.

YouTube vidoe of Tora Bonsai featuring the use of alu foil:

 

[Juanmi]

Has any one used aluminium tape for healing cuts?

Came across this thread and was wondering if any has used this technique and if it was effective. https://www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/bonsai-care/calendar

www.bonsainut.com

I wonder why I didn't find this thread when I used the searching tool. Sorry for that, and thanks for your answer

 

[Juanmi]

Any actual proof it heals twice as fast? I'd guess not...As for the not swelling part, weelllll, this is a two dimensional pic. If you ask me, there does appear to be swelling in the middle.

FWIW, If you bind any wound with compression tape you can reduce callus swelling and direct growth, hell they grow square watermelons in Japan by putting small melons into plexiglass boxes and letting them grow. Thing here is, adhesive stuck to bark is NOT a good thing. If it's there for a couple of years in sunlight, frost, etc. that adhesive breaks down, binding it to whatever is beneath it. Pulling stuff off like that can be a gummed up mess...just sayin, this isn't a "new" technique. Here in the states people have used duct tape over vaseline on hard pruned collected trees for a very long time. I first heard about it back in the 90's being used on trunk chopped hornbeam. Seems to work, but it's a mess and not really worth the effort.

I get it, you don't like it. Don't use it.
I'm still interested

 

[HardBall]

To be clear, I can't prove anything...other than the technique exists on the internet. I thought the pictures might provide some clarity to the OP's reference.

 

[yashu]

I remember reading this and I have some of that tape (it’s most definitely air tight) but I have yet to try it on any trees. I’d also be interested in hearing what the success rate is and comparative speed of healing. It could be a cool experiment to try on an acer garden tree (I don’t have one). Maybe three dime size cuts in the bark. Apply the tape to one, cut paste to another and leave one open to the air. Compare heal times and scarring at the end.

 

[rockm]

I get it, you don't like it. Don't use it.
I'm still interested

You asked if anyone had experience. I did, a long time, ago. I said aluminum foil and vaseline (as mentioned above). I've also used tape (although not aluminum tape) too. It pulled bark off, and did damage.

Simple as that, like it or not, I answered your "question" although I suspect it really wasn't a question...

 

[Juanmi]

You asked if anyone had experience. I did, a long time, ago. I said aluminum foil and vaseline (as mentioned above). I've also used tape (although not aluminum tape) too. It pulled bark off, and did damage.

Simple as that, like it or not, I answered your "question" although I suspect it really wasn't a question...

I understood from your initial post. Thanks for your input.

And please, what makes you believe it was not a question?

I even put the question mark in there

 

[nuttiest]

I always thought the intact bark needed light... aparrently not.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I always thought the intact bark needed light... aparrently not.

No . Not Collen/schlerenchyma (spelling may be off)... But when the trunk, in certain species is GREEN, photosynthesis actually can take place on this layer (Parkinsonia is a good example). The 'catch 66', here, being that that GREEN layer..... Is specifically NOT bark! Schlerenchyma cells are dead cells.

Interesting, though.

As far as sealing wounds, goes.

That tape looks interestingly risky. I notice very little problems or arising issues from my own wound sealing and treatment methods... But it SEEMS to me.... Application of the tape would have to be EXACTLY... like EXACTLY flush(face side) with exposed area of inner tree... But if meticulously applied.... I can SEE the possible benefit, in this direction.

But, as has been said, adhesives near my bark spell RISK... Not JUST cosmetically..phloem and cambium could fairly easily be damaged by inadvertent tears... ESPECIALLY around cut areas (it's already 'started' ). This risk percentage, as elementary as it sounds, rises as does the strength of adhesive.

I don't have enough troubles with scarring to alter my method...

But if I had some tape laying around, I'd try it out on some of my landscape stock... To check it out for myself.....

No experimentation on the "Little Trees"!!

 

[SquatJar]

When I heard Peter Warren mention it a few times for maples I figured I'd give it a go. For two years I've been covering larger wounds (when I remember), so it's difficult to compare Al foil to cut paste or leaving the wound to air. This acer palmatum got sunburnt in my garden so when I dug and potted it up I decided a little experiment was in order.

From this picture its easy to see where I put the adhesive Al foil, above and below that point I used callus mate. I tried to pick around under the bark to make sure the callous wasn't just hiding due to the live tissue receding more under the paste. The difference is minor, but seems significant, as this was only after one year. At that point both the paste and foil were lifting off, neither were too hard to get off completely. One thing that remains to be seen is if the deadwood under the foil rots quicker seeing it is much darker.

*This is not conclusive evidence, it is one wound on one tree, after one year. It has encouraged me to try doing half and half on a few more trees to compare though.