What is the current thought on sealing/covering a fresh prune cut? There seems to be a mix of recommendations from seal with glue or similar substance on each cut over a certain size to don’t bother. Does the answer depend on zone? I never did this in Texas and had no issue. Now I am in Kansas and the winter die-back is much different. Any pointers to research-based answers on if sealing helps, hurts, or not worth the effort?
Sealing does prevent cane borer. I never see cane borer on sealed cuts, but often do on unsealed cuts.
Pruning early does the trick.The cut ends dry out before the borers get active
I gave up sealing my ends years ago and have never had a problem. I do deal with cane borers but sealing never seemed to help me and I have way too many roses to seal each cane.
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There are as many opinions on sealing fresh cuts as there are rosarians! We did it when we were new rose growers and had fewer plants. With 450, it is not feasible. I do clean off the pruners with a “Lysol” wipe between roses (at least I TRY to remember to do it…I confess, sometimes it’s when I get busy, I skip that process unless the rose in I’m pruning has major fungal symptoms. Usually, I have found that the glue doesn’t last long and damage from cane borers has not been a huge problem in our garden. Cold snaps in late winter, early spring, will happen, in my opinion, regardless of sealing the cane or not.
I used to seal when I began decades ago, but with so many roses, just took too long. Then I realized, the raspberry cane borer that lays the eggs on the tip ends aren’t active then, and by the time they are, the glue is long gone.
Prune early.The cut ends will dry out before the borers get active