Tree bandage

Abstract

Within the arborist and landscape industry there has been little or no advancement in the protection of damaged, cut or pruned woody plants and trees. Over the years various compounds and mixtures have been used on plant wounds to prevent their death, however, those compounds have not truly performed as intended and were not environmentally compatible. The development of Tree Bandage provides the industry with an environmentally safe and effective treatment for the protection of damaged, cut or pruned woody plants and trees.

Description

STATEMENT REGARDED FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

The development of Tree Bandage involved no Federal sponsorship or funding.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

NONE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tree Bandage is a Class 504 Plant Protecting Composition developed for the preservation and healthful maintenance of woody plants and trees.

Typically, when a limb, branch or trunk of a tree or bush is cut or cracked, the tree or bush is injured. The injured tree or bush immediately begins a process of damage containment and repair of the injury. This process includes a collapse of the damaged cells at the cut surface in an effort to reduce “bleeding.” Bleeding results in a loss of plant fluids as drying of the exposed surface commences.

Drying is not confined to the surface layer of cells at the cut. Often, cells as deep as half an inch within the plant experience fluid loss and drying. The resultant drying can permanently damage or kill the plant. A reduction in such drying is generally believed to be beneficial to the healing process by allowing the plant to maintain higher moisture levels at the wound site and prevent such cells from dying. Such cells can then continue to grow and form callus tissue over the surface of the wound. Tree bandage can stop and prevent the drying.

Various compounds and mixtures have been used on tree and bush wounds to prevent drying and promote healing. Most are based on paint, shellac or asphalt-derived compounds. These compounds have generally been found to actually retard the healing process.

Thus, there is an unmet need for a tree and bush tree bandage composition which is easy to apply and effective for both reducing drying and die-back at a wound site.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Tree Bandage (TB), when applied to a damaged or cut section of a woody plant or tree, seals (bandages) the wound in a manner that permits TB's included properties combine with materials that are naturally part of the plant or tree itself to facilitate healing and prevent further “bleeding”. Additionally, the Tree Bandage solution is a zero VOC (volatile organic compounds) so that it is safe and easy to use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

There are no drawing submitted as part of this application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Prior to the development of TB various compounds and mixtures have been used on tree and bush wounds to prevent drying and promote healing. Most other compounds are based on paint, shellac or asphalt-derived compounds. These compounds have generally been found to actually retard the healing process and are, of themselves, toxic to humans. Tree bandage is non-toxic and environmentally safe.

The tree bandage composition comprises water (H₂O) and sodium metasilicate (Na₂SiO₃) in an aqueous solution. The preferred blend of water (H₂O) and sodium metasilicate (Na₂SiO₃) in an aqueous solution is nearly odorless, opaque in color that is easy to brush or spray on the wound.

When a water (H₂O) and sodium metasilicate (Na₂SiO₃) solution is applied to a tree wound, it chemically separates to form silicon dioxide (SiO₂) while the sodium combines with available chlorine, naturally occurring in woody plants as a result of photosynthesis, to form halite (NaCl), a type of salt. Thus, the bandage itself is silicon dioxide which is a type of quartz or glassious material, that seals the pores and protects the wound while allowing the tree to form a callus over the wound.

Specifically

1. The Tree Bandage comprises:

(a) about 70% to 90% volume % water (H₂O), and

(b) about 10 to 30% volume % sodium metasilicate (Na₂SiO₃);

2. The Tree Bandage composition of 1 above where the sodium metasilicate (Na₂SiO₃) is in an aqueous solution;

3. The method of making the Tree Bandage is comprised of mixing together about 70% to 90% water (H₂O) and 10% to 30% sodium metasilicate (Na₂SiO₃) under conditions of constant temperature to produce a substantially homogeneous blend;

4. The method of sealing a wound site:

(a) Obtain a properly prepared Tree Bandage,

(b) Pruning a tree or bush to form a pruning site, and

(c) Brushing or spraying the wound site with the composition; and

5. The method of item 4 above, wherein coating the wound site with the composition, comprises coating the wound site with approximately 0.05 cm to 0.1 cm thick coating of the composition; and the method further comprises letting the coated composition to dry.

REFERENCES

(1) Pittsburgh Mineral Environmental Technology, Inc. (hereafter cited as PMET). Report dated Jul. 28, 2010; consisting of 4 pages; authored and signed by Randolph W. Shannon, Laboratory Manager; and addressed to Patrick A. Wick, of Wicktek Inc. Specifically, page 2, paragraph number two and Table 2, and the graph contained on page 3 of the report.

(2) PMET, page 2 Table 2 as well as the graph contained on page 4 of the report.

(3) PMET, page 2 paragraph two.

(4) KTA-TATOR, INC. (hereafter cited as TATOR). Report entitled “Results of Analysis of Tree Bandage®; KTA-Tator, Inc. Project No. 290857”, dated Feb. 18, 2010; authored and signed by Carly M. Pravlik, Physical Laboratory Supervisor; and addressed to Patrick A. Wick, of Wicktek Inc. Specifically, page 2, Section “Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Content” and Table 2—“Results of VOC Content Determination and Supporting Data”.

Claims

1. Tree Bandage is easy to use: Use of the tree bandage composition is quick, clean and easy. A brush, sponge or hand held spraying device is all that is required for application. Clean-up can usually be done with soap and water. To remove from glass, use warm soapy water and a razor blade type scraper. To remove from auto finishes, use soapy water followed by auto polish.

2. Tree Bandage protects woody plant and tree wounds and promotes their healing; When a water (H2O) and sodium metasilicate (Na2SiO3) solution is applied to a tree wound, it chemically separates to form (Reference 1) silicon dioxide (SiO2) while the sodium combines (Reference 2) with available chlorine to form halite (NaCl), a type of salt. The bandage (Reference 3) itself is silicon dioxide which is a type of quartz or glasseous material, sealing the pores with a relatively impermeable material protecting the tree wound while allowing the tree to form a callus over the wound. PMET report attached.

3. Tree Bandage is environmentally safe and non toxic; Tree Bandage is a zero VOC (volatile organic compounds) solution so that it is a safe and easy to use. Independent laboratory testing shows that Tree Bandage is zero VOC (Reference 4), and penetrates at least 30 mils (Reference 5); KTA-TATOR report attached.