The logical end of the season for everyonegardener are autumn work. And we are talking mainly about plant protection. Actually, this expression refers to the actions of cleaning and whitewashing trees. This is necessary so that next year they will remain just as healthy and strong. The whitewashing of apple trees in the autumn is important for their protection from the effects of insects and harmful microorganisms.
What is it for?
Autumn time means not only cleaning in the garden plots. At this time, gardeners focus their efforts on clearing the ground from weeds and renewing the plants with the help of new seedlings.
The first thing you need to clean the trunks of apple trees,and then - to whiten. These are very important actions. And they are aimed at preserving the bark of trees. After all, it is their protective layer. It is the autumn whitewashing of apple trees that allows us to take care of the plant. The effects of sun, rain, wind and frosting lead to cracking of the bark and the appearance of serious defects, entire crevices, which will become very convenient shelters for the winter of many insects, including pests. And our goal is to prevent it. After all, any crack is the most real breeding ground for disease. Therefore, if you do not carry out the necessary processing of the tree in time, then do not ask where the scab and fruit rot come from in the garden. Usually, the processing and preparation of apple trees for winter begins at the end of September. All work should be completed before the start of stable frosts.
Barrel pre-cleaning
Whitewashing the trunk of an apple tree is possible only after it.cleaning up. Otherwise, it will not be as effective. Initially, you need to lay a thick cloth or tarp to collect the bark around the tree. All damaged areas on the trunk of the plant must be carefully and thoroughly cleaned, collecting waste to prevent them from falling to the ground. For work requires a special tool. Best suited garden scraper. If you do not have it, you can use a standard metal brush. Cleaning is usually accompanied by raising a large amount of dust around the tree, so it’s best to protect your eyes with plastic glasses and your hands with gloves. The processing of the trunk needs to be done fairly carefully, slowly, so as not to damage the living tissue on the tree, otherwise your actions can only cause harm. It should be remembered that young seedlings should not be thoroughly cleaned. Their bark has not yet formed, it is still elastic. The maximum that can be done is to lightly brush their trunks. But do not be zealous. When all the peeled bark is collected, it must be taken out of the garden and destroyed. The easiest way to burn it, so that the harmful bacteria no longer spread on the territory of your garden.
Whitewash goals
Some gardeners neglect autumn whitewashApple trees, not knowing about the important reasons for such a procedure and mistakenly assuming that spring processing of the stem with lime is enough. But it should be borne in mind that during the season a large number of pathogens of various diseases and harmful spores occurred on the tree. That is why the whitewashing of apple trees in the fall is very important, since pathogenic microorganisms die when exposed to lime. Moreover, the tree trunk treated with such a solution is not exposed to sunburn and frostbite so much. After all, if you do not protect your garden plants in the fall, then in winter they can simply die, especially if we are talking about young seedlings.
The composition of the autumn whitewash
Чтобы процедура имела ожидаемый результат, should prepare the correct solution. Since whitewashing of apple trees has become quite popular, even compulsory, the composition of the product does not need to be cooked by yourself. Now you can buy a ready-made solution in the store, although an experienced gardener prefers to do everything and check it yourself so that everything works out correctly.
Components of stem treatmentare: 10 liters of water, 2.5 kilograms of lime, 0.5 kg of copper sulfate and 100 grams of wood glue. The solution must be thoroughly mixed so that all ingredients can dissolve. Then leave it all for a few hours. The main function of the procedure under consideration is disinfection. But in order to whitewash apple trees in the fall to be effective, it must be carried out systematically. One-time treatment will not have a long-term effect.
How to whiten an apple tree?
The whitewashing of apple trees in the fall with lime is undoubtedlyimportant procedure. But it should be carried out correctly. No need to argue that whitewashing is done only for beauty. This is not the usual painting, and protection of trees from all kinds of damage. Therefore, it is necessary to whiten not only the lower part of the apple tree, but also the basis of the largest branches. Thus, the processing is carried out at a level of at least 1.5 meters. Young apple trees whiten to the place where the trunk begins to branch. Now you need to correctly determine the whitening time. It must be dry, better than a clear day. Such weather will allow the solution to “grab” well and dry. Whitewashing during wet weather or even in the rain will not have the desired effect. Water will simply wash away the lime.
Some nuances
The whitewashing of apple trees in the fall is usually carried out byrelation to "adult" trees that have already begun to bear fruit. Young seedlings, purchased and planted for the winter, should not be handled. Since lime can simply clog pores, preventing the plant from fully developing, which can even lead to its death. At the same time, the trunks of such apple trees still need to be protected, so it is better to tie them with agrofiber. It is not necessary for this to use plastic wrap, it will only accumulate moisture and provoke the development of fungi and mold on the trunk. If during the cleaning of apple trees, damage to the trunk was noticed, they should be treated with a garden warmer. If it was not at hand, the healing mixture can be prepared independently. It is made on the basis of clay, which is added manure and copper sulfate. The mixture of consistency should resemble sour cream. Processing can be carried out as a usual brush, and an airbrush.
Often, apple trees are whitewashed not only to protect the trunks from insects and mechanical damage, but also to prevent the encroachment of various rodents.
