AusBonsai

VET WRAP
From Peter Adams talks at the Ideas Summit in July 2009

For those who use raffia to bind a branch or trunk prior to heavy bending, there’s a better product. VET WRAP. You can get it at chemists in the bandage section. It is a flexible wrap that is elastic, sticks only to itself so there’s no danger to the bark, can be removed easily when the branch is set. VET WRAP comes in a 10cm width roll. It is around $20 so you have to be keen and the varied colours it can come in are not really complimentary to trees. But it is not a lifetime commitment, it is successfully used to bind the bark to the tree before heavy wiring and heavy bending so if you crack the branch when bending the life forces should still work to heal and grow the limb. The tape can be cut in narrower strips than 10cm and can be reused. It has been successfully applied to rough barked pines, old junipers, larches – all with no problems and minimal bark damage. Basically you use it the same as grafting tape so it could work instead of grafting tape as well.

Steve from here has located a supplier of this tape and it is cheaper. then you mention.

Maybe he will see and chime in

Too late for me... I bought mine last year when my dog cut her paw. But I was able to get dark navy... not as good as forest green but better than shocking pink!!!!

G'day Ken'& MelaQuin

I will gladly take credit for finding the place, but in truth it was my father who found it....

Close your eyes Melaquin, cause the price is a little cheaper.

The prices range from $3 a roll to $8 a roll - depending on the quality.
Given that our Bonsais are not as precious as a horse's leg, we have been using the mid range which perchance turned out to be the same stuff that Peter Adams uses.
It is $4.95 a roll

[The type we use is called "Roma cohesive Bandage"- and Roma appears to be the brand name. Hopefully this makes it easier for people to track down if they dont live nearby]

Horseland
287 Mona'Vale Rd
Terrey Hills

Its on the same side of the road as Megumi's, but about 1km further north along MV Rd, heading towards the beach.

I tend to use it more for wrapping around roots to create root over rock. The reason being that it doesnt let go or unwrap, is permeable, doesnt let the roots grow through and stretches.
There are heaps of other uses for it as well

Dont rush off an get too much, çause I have to drop in on Monday and get some rolls for a friend !!!!

Regards
Steve

I bought some from Horseland in Sydney. With their 'sale', the cheapest VET WRAP came down from $4.95 to just $3.50 a roll. Lots of different colours from white through to bright green, purple, blue ... Is extremely effective and much easier to use than raffia.

Craig Coussins introduced it here in 2003.
It sticks like s#*t to a blanket and is just as hard to get off.
Especially on Pine bark and any rough bark.
It varies in price but is cheap when you have a cousin who is a wholesaler to vets!!.

Pup wrote:It sticks like s#*t to a blanket and is just as hard to get off.
Especially on Pine bark and any rough bark.

As Mr Pup has noted, it can take bark with it upon removal: when I've used it on young Eucs such as E. nicholii, I've found that many of the flakes of bark have grown into the fibres of the tape, and as such were removed with the tape. Also, I've found that the tape will degrade over time when exposed to the elements. The resultant crusty shell can then often only be removed by cutting, risking further damage to young/delicate bark.

That said, I will still often use the stuff, but as a precaution against the issues mentioned above, I will put a layer of grafting tape (non-sticky) to prevent bark damage and facilitate removal.

The brand I have used is Nexcare "Coban" tape, manufactured by 3M.

Lately I have been experimenting with self-adhesive silicone tape ("Tommy Tape") with promising results. As with the Vet Wrap style of tape, I prefer to apply a layer of grafting tape first.

Thanks.

Fly.

Great Info. Thanks for the input. However, I will stick to Vet Tape at $22 a roll. NOT that I'm pedantic or rich, but it's in the cupboard and hopefully the dog won't need it again and I might as well get value from my investment!! Interesting that it is good for root over rock. That, to me, is better yet again as fighting the grafting tape or trying to get cord to stay in position as you keep wrapping is a great nuisance. I have just procured a nice rock so I can now look for a suitable tree. What fun, an excuse to get another plant... as if the weekend's tally of 3 new major trees wasn't bad enough!!