When and how to whitewash apple trees?

Whitewashing tree trunks is a well-known agricultural technique... Although not everyone understands its necessity. This gap can be eliminated, and at the same time, other subtleties of the question can be clarified: when and how to whitewash an apple tree, how to prepare a tree for whitewashing, and also by what technology to carry out the process itself.

In the fall, painting tree trunks is considered one of the techniques that will help protect the tree in winter. For example, the sun in February is quite active, which can provoke sap flow.

The whitewashing of the apple tree is carried out at other times of the year.

• In the spring, the trunks must also be whitened, as this helps to protect the tree from diseases, and especially from insect pests that wake up after hibernation. In addition, temperature jumps are often observed in spring, so cracking of the bark (akin to winter) also threatens the tree.
• In summer, a painted trunk does not attract sunlight so much, as a result of which the tree is insured against burns. Summer whitewashing is usually done in June as a protective procedure.

Novice gardeners often wonder whether young trees should be whitewashed. This is where opinions differ. Some experts say that it is extremely dangerous to do this, because the fragile bark can be difficult to tolerate painting.

But those who hold a different opinion base it with a more powerful argument: young trees are much more likely to encounter burns, therefore they need even more protection from them. The only question is what technology to whiten. Young apple trees, for example, are whitewashed with chalk, but this method is not suitable for all trees.

Most often, apple trees are whitewashed twice a year - in autumn and spring. In the summer, as already mentioned, they are also painted, but autumn and spring whitewashing are considered mandatory. And if you single out the main one, then it will be exactly the autumn one. It is as effective as possible: it will protect from burns and will not allow rodents to the tree. It is good if the owners of the trees do not forget about the summer whitewashing. The protective layer that was applied to the tree in the spring can be completely washed off by rains, so re-whitewashing in the summer does not hurt.

When to plan spring treatment for apple trees:

• in central Russia (including the Moscow region) - early April;
• in the southern part of the country - the second half of March;
• north-west of the country, Leningrad region, as well as the Urals - mid-April.

Protection is relevant for both old and young apple trees. You should not wait for unique weather conditions, even if the winter is predicted to be abnormally warm.

Some believe that whitewash Is a relic that deforms a tree, but this position is controversial. Again, it is important with what and how to whiten. You can always find an option that will suit many, while it will look aesthetically pleasing and, most importantly, will help the tree.

Most likely, a novice gardener will have to choose and even experiment. Even if he comes to a specialized store to entrust the choice to a specialist, he will ask a lot of questions. For example, about the preferences of the buyer.

Check out the list and characteristics of materials that can be used to whiten apple trees.

• chalk... It is considered an alternative to the popular whitewashing product - lime. Creates an optimal snow-white finish. Its characteristics can be assessed as mild, safe for the plant. Chalk is the best composition for whitewashing young (especially vulnerable) trees. But he also has a minus - such a painting is short-lived.

• Lime... They have been accustomed to painting apple trees with slaked lime for a long time. And the price is inexpensive, and the result is pleasing. And so that the composition is not washed off the bark, and is fixed firmly, clay is added to it. It is better not to use a weak whitewashing solution, as it will quickly wash off with rains. The recipe is as follows: 600 g of lime is quenched in 4 liters of water, 1 glass of milk is added there (you can replace 4 tablespoons of glue). All components are mixed until smooth. It would be nice to add here also copper sulfate in the amount of 2 tbsp. l. for the purpose of disinfection.

• Water based paint... Will give a stable and reliable result. On the apple tree trunk, the paint holds well, reflects the sun's rays well too. The optimal time to use paint is spring. The water emulsion contains no disinfecting additives. There is a variant of using acrylic paint, which will serve as both a reflector and a protector of the tree from infections and insects.

• Creolin with copper sulfate... To process trees in the best way in autumn, you need to take: 1 liter of water, 40 g of vitriol, glue (it will be exactly half of the total composition), creolin, "Knockdown". This mixture will protect both from rodents and frost.

• Specialized solution for whitewashing. There are many similar products on the market. Some of them are represented by silver biomask, some - by the same lime mixed with copper sulfate, acrylic compounds.

• Shiny finish. The composition, after application and drying, actually becomes shiny, which does an excellent job of reflecting the sun's rays. You can make such a tool from 300 g of "fluff", 2 tbsp. l. PVA, 2 liters of water.

And then there is clay and mullein, which work perfectly as reflectors of sunlight, and as a lubricant that protects against cracks and other damage to the bark.

The solution is prepared at the rate of 3 kg of clay per 10 liters of water, and the mullein is introduced later (the volume is always by eye, it is important to gradually introduce it into the composition).

The tree must be prepared for whitewashing. This important event takes place in several stages.

It is imperative to clean the trunk and branches of the tree. To complete this stage, it is better to wait for cloudy weather - this is safer for the apple tree.

This has to be done manually, since the use of tools can lead to injury to the apple tree. To complete this step, except for gloves, nothing else is needed. Any cracks, defects must be cleaned up to a healthy and clean surface.

But it is better to transfer this moment in preparation to a dry and sunny day, when there is no strong wind. Disinfection is performed in order to destroy pathogenic organisms, prevent the development of tree diseases and disinfect existing wounds... Usually, standard means (Bordeaux liquid or "HOM") are used for this purpose. Gardeners usually alternate chemical preparations with so-called folk recipes, among which the most popular is a solution of ash and soap.

To seal the wounds on the trunk of trees, putties are needed, which will work as a means for a kind of restoration of the integrity of their covers. It can be all the same clay or garden var. If it is difficult with these funds, you can buy putty pastes in a specialized store - they do an excellent job with their task.

When all preliminary processing is completed, you can proceed directly to whitewashing.

The main stages of whitewashing are the processing of individual parts of the apple tree.

1. Cleaning the land around the apple tree, because the whitewashing begins 2-3 cm below the ground level. After completing the whitewash, the land will return to its place.
2. The stem is stained with a special emphasis on cracks and grooves.
3. Working with skeletal apple tree branches and forks. It would be correct to describe this moment separately, because it is especially important. These elements must be covered with a mixture of one third of the total length, and the coating layer does not exceed 3 mm. Otherwise, there is a risk of the coating peeling off. The branches of the common crown do not need to be whitened.
4. Tracking the height of the whitewash. The minimum height of the cover is 1.5 m. This is the standard whitewash length of an adult apple tree. Young trees are always painted before the first branches.

Trees can only be whitened in dry weather. The composition should penetrate well into the depths of the bark. It is also important with what tool to process the tree. A paint brush is needed if it is decided to whitewash with paints (acrylic or water emulsion).

Experienced gardeners know the price and the maklowice - a construction brush with a very comfortable handle. It is ideal for whitewashing old trees. With the help of a long pile, a certain amount of whitewash is well captured, and then it is distributed over the bark relief. But with a spongy washcloth, it is good to apply the mixture to low apple trees. The structure of the instrument is so obedient that all bends and cracks are filled with mortar. A sprayer is used if the areas of the upcoming staining are large, and the trees themselves are tall.

And yet - a selection of recommendations from experienced gardeners regarding the whitewashing of apple trees. Perhaps some of them will save you from mistakes, so the first "pancake" in painting will not be lumpy.

1. You can skip summer painting, since it is not as critical as spring and autumn. But if the summer is rainy, you will have to paint for sure, otherwise by the summer there will be nothing left from the previous whitewash.
2. Everything that is removed from the tree during the bark cleaning must be burned. This is done in order to remove pests from the site.
3. A spray gun is not the most economical way to whitewash wood. But at the same time, many prefer it: the process is accelerated, there are no unpainted places.
4. The onset of winter sunburn is February. But already from the end of January the sun can “scorch” dangerously. Winter does not matter whether the weather forecasters promised a mild or a hard winter.
5. If the color of acrylic paint or water emulsion is not completely white, but with a grayish undertone, it will not work. Such a color simply will not cope with its function, and this is important.
6. If you cannot penetrate a crack or depression with your hands when cleaning the wood, you can use a chip or a wooden knife.
7. The soap-ash solution is good not only as a proven means for disinfecting trees, but also as a plant feeding. He will saturate the apple tree with potassium and phosphorus.
8. To make not just one whitewash, but also to strengthen the tree, water in those recipes where it is supposed to be, can be replaced with a herbal solution. It can be a decoction of chamomile or yarrow.
9. If the whitewashing solution seems too fluid, you can add milk to it, after which it will become much more obedient.
10. The addition of antifungal agents to the paint is also an important point, absolutely useful. A protective film is formed around the barrel. This can save the apple tree from diseases.

As you can see, whitewashing is not just a whim, but a functional measure that increases the survival rate of the tree and creates more comfortable conditions for its growth and development. As a result, the harvest is richer.