Whitewashing trees in spring is the key to a healthy garden all year round

A garden with fruit-bearing trees requires constant and anxious care. It is necessary to monitor the health of trees every year. A special place here is occupied by the procedure for caring for tree bark. Each tree needs watering, loosening the soil, fertilizing. No less important is the timely care of the so-called skin of a tree - its bark. Whitewashing the bark of a tree in spring is not a whim, but an important procedure to protect the plant from damage by harmful insects and fungal diseases.

Why whitewash tree trunks?

The bark of the tree is a kind of protective layer of the plant. First of all, it carries on itself all the unfavorable environmental factors, be it the sun's rays, severe frosts, insect pests, as well as mechanical influences. Over time, the bark cracks and forms access to the tender part of the tree trunk. So that this does not lead to damage to the tree by fungal diseases, as well as by insect pests, the bark must be provided with appropriate care.

Usually trees are whitewashed with copper-containing preparations. This procedure also has another meaning. With the onset of the first spring heat, the earth begins to thaw and warm up. Various insect pests creep out into the world, which first of all strive to climb to the very top of the tree and feast on delicate leaves that have not yet fully blossomed. Copper-containing preparations on the tree trunk prevent them from doing this: they serve as a special poisonous burning substance for insect pests. They cannot overcome the whitewashed section of the trunk, which means that the leaves will remain intact.

How to whiten trees correctly?

Whitewashing trees is an important procedure consisting of the following sequence of actions.

1. It is necessary to rid the tree trunk of moss, lichen and other extraneous vegetation growing on it. For cleaning, use only gloves that protect hands from damage. No additional tools and means are used. There are cracks inside the bark, in which growths can also accumulate. In this case, a brush is used for cleaning.
2. The bark must be disinfected. To do this, use any copper-containing preparation (Bordeaux liquid, copper sulfate, HOM). This procedure is carried out in dry weather with the expectation that the treated tree will stand with the applied preparation for several days without rain, otherwise there will be no point in such processing. Such disinfection will help kill all harmful microorganisms and bacteria in the bark of the tree before the next step.
3. The trunk and branches of the tree are covered with a copper-containing preparation evenly, in a thin layer. Streams should not form. To do this, use a spray bottle. For processing, a solution of ferrous sulfate is also suitable.
4. The concentration of both copper and ferrous sulfate should be prepared strictly in accordance with the instructions for the preparation, since both of these substances are poisonous.In the process of wetting the bark with rains, vitriol flows from the trunk into the ground and accumulates in it, becoming a poison for all nearby growing crops.

Using ash for whitewashing

You can disinfect a tree trunk without resorting to the help of toxic chemicals. An increasing number of gardeners today use natural natural remedies, for example, ash and soap solution. To prepare it, you need to mix 5 g of ordinary laundry soap with a glass of ash. Next, 1 liter of hot, but not boiling water is poured. Using a brush, the trunk and branches of the tree are moistened with the prepared solution. Ash serves as an excellent disinfectant, and soap allows the prepared solution to stay on the bark of the tree for a long time.

There is also another recipe for disinfection, a solution that is easy to prepare at home - this is ash lye. To prepare it, take 2 kg of wood ash, pour 10 liters of boiled warm water and bring to a boil. The resulting solution is cooled, insisted. A cloudy-looking liquid is formed from above, which is called ash liquor. It is just used to disinfect the bark of trees. But remember that it is necessary to work with it strictly with gloves. It is poured into a separate container, and for processing it is additionally diluted with water in a 1: 1 ratio.

Bark putty

The most popular putties for fruit tree bark are:

1. Garden var, which turned out to be the most effective and time-tested remedy. It is used to heal cracks and wounds in the bark. Garden var is easy to make at home. To do this, melt one glass of beeswax, half a glass of rosin. The resulting liquids are mixed in a container and half a glass of fresh unsalted animal fat is added. As soon as the mass becomes homogeneous, the container is immersed in cold water. The mixture will begin to solidify and it will be easy to roll a ball out of it. Warm it up a little before using your home garden brew to make it easier to work with. Such var will be stored in a cool dark place for many years.
2. Clay-based chatterbox. This type of putty has been known to gardeners for centuries. The clay in this recipe is mixed with components such as copper sulfate, lime. To do this, take a glass of clay and half a glass of any other component from the listed ones, add a little finely chopped straw, fill it with water and achieve the density of sour cream. Such a tool serves as an excellent protection for the bark of the tree, moreover, it will not crack over time.
3. Pasta prepared with the addition of humate and copper sulfate. This drug is not waterproof, so it stays on the tree until the first rain. It is used to treat wounds, cuts, cracks.

Whitewashing process

After the bark has been cleaned of extraneous growths, all wounds and cracks are treated, the surface of the tree is disinfected, you can proceed directly to whitewashing. The whitewash layer needs to be renewed about 3 times during the year. Whitewashing is carried out in spring, summer and autumn. It is necessary to whitewash all trees, both young seedlings and adult specimens. In order not to damage the tender bark of young trees that has not yet hardened, the amount of lime for whitewashing should be halved.

Autumn whitewashing of trees in the garden

Whitewashing trees in the fall before the upcoming cold weather should be thorough, since it should provide the maximum protective effect of the bark. The layer of lime to be applied should be thin - no more than 4 mm. It is important to dilute the lime solution until it is homogeneous, without lumps, so that it more evenly falls on the bark. The thicker the layer of whitewash, the more likely it will fall off the tree trunk. Whitewashing can be prepared independently at home, or you can already buy a ready-made one containing special adhesives that prevent it from cracking and shedding.Specialty stores also sell special paint for whitewashing garden trees. It protects the bark from sunburn, winter cold and insect pests.

At home, gardeners use the most common whitewash recipe. To do this, mix 2 kg of slaked lime, 1.5 kg of clay and 0.3 kg of copper sulfate. The mixture is diluted with water until a thick sour cream consistency is obtained. You need to apply whitewash in a thin layer so that streaks do not form. Before this, the bark of the tree must be carefully prepared, processed and disinfected. If there are untreated wounds on the tree, then the lime will only worsen the situation, the ulcers will crack even more.

Whitewashing trees three times a year makes them resistant to pests and fungal diseases. Trees withstand both hot summers with burning sunbeams and cold frosty winters better. In this case, the yield grows, the fruits and leaves retain their decorative qualities and presentation. As a result, the life of plants is significantly extended.

How to whitewash trees? (video)