Pine trees not only provide us with valuable oxygen, but their sap can be used for everything from sealants to medicine. It can even prove to be life saving in the wilderness. Find out how to use it to the fullest:

Harvest

To protect the tree, if possible only harvest pitch that has dripped away from the wound. The pitch directly on the wound surface is helping the tree fight infection, and harvesting this portion may damage the tree.

If you need to harvest pine sap in large quantity, intentionally creating “V”-shaped wounds in trees is the traditional method. Attach a small container at the tip of the “V” so that the pitch can run into it.

1. Sealant

Dissolved in alcohol, pine pitch is used as a natural wood varnish. Stick to grain alcohol, ideally near pure 190 proof for varnish purposes.

As pine sap is a natural tree wound protectant, it makes sense that it can be used to make a graft protectant by mixing it with a little beeswax and oil. Smear the mixture around graft cuts or pruning wounds to seal them and protect your trees.

Pine sap that has been heated to remove excess moisture is called pine tar, and it’s commonly used to make things water-tight.

2. Medicine

Pine pitch is commonly used as a drawing agent to help draw foreign particles or poisons from a wound. Pine pitch is also naturally antiseptic and antibacterial.

To store pine pitch for later use in your herbal first-aid kit, place a few globs of pitch in oil and leave it in a warm place for a few weeks, shaking regularly to help dissolve the pitch. Filter the oil through a cloth, and use the pine pitch oil as it is applied directly to wounds or add bees wax and form it into a medicinal salve.

3. Adhesive

Melt the pine pitch slowly on a stove or over a low fire, and then add finely crushed charcoal from the fire. A ratio of 3 parts sap to 1 part coal is a good starting point. The charcoal is what makes the glue durable and long-lasting. Too much charcoal will make the glue brittle.

4. Fire-starter

A few dried gobs kept at hand can help a tinder bundle catch light in wet conditions, or melted sap can be used on a cloth on the end of a stick as a makeshift torch. Keep in mind that melted resin gets very hot.

Have you tried using pine sap in any of the above ways? Are there other uses for it that we should consider?

Article Source: Off The Grid News