When to whitewash apple trees, from which you can make a solution

We bought a summer cottage with a small plot of land. Since the garden was not included in our plans, we decided to lay a small garden so that the land would not be empty. We planted a dozen different varieties of apple trees in the fall, and everyone started. A neighbor, visiting, said that they must be whitewashed so that the bark from the sun does not crack. Tell me when to whitewash the apple trees and what is better?

Residents of megacities, familiar with gardening from afar, think that whitewashing is a way to decorate trees. Indeed, even white belts give apple trees and other trees a special and well-groomed look. However, the main purpose of whitewashing is still not beauty. Master gardeners know that the white layer on the trunk serves as protection for the tree. Therefore, it is so important to know when to whitewash apple trees and other fruit crops. Timely whitewashing will protect the bark from the sun's rays, especially in early spring, when it is warm during the day and still frosty at night. Having warmed up in the sun, sap flow begins under the bark, and from night frosts the juice hardens and leads to ruptures of the bark. Whitewashed apple trees practically do not have burns. In addition, whitewashing is also an additional protective agent against various pests.

When to whitewash apple trees

Since trees can suffer from overheating not only in spring, gardeners recommend that they stand whitewashed all year round. To do this, the apple trees need to be whitened at least 3 times:

1. In autumn, starting from mid-October until the first frost. Thus, the trees will already be prepared for winter and deceptive spring warmth.
2. Early spring, early March. Spring whitewashing is needed to renew the protective layer on the bark.
3. In the middle of summer. It will be especially relevant if the summer is rainy, which led to the washing off of the previous whitewash.

All trees must be whitened, regardless of their age. It's just that a slightly different, less concentrated mixture is used for young seedlings.

How to whiten apple trees

Lime is most often used for whitewashing trees due to its disinfecting properties. Also, the whitewash mixture should include an adhesion agent (glue, clay) and a disinfectant (copper sulfate).

The solution must be thick enough so that it does not run down the trunk, but lay down in a continuous layer of at least 2 mm.

The composition of the whitewash may differ depending on the purpose of the procedure:

1. To protect against burns, use the following mixture: for a bucket of water - a bag of lime (slaked), 1 kg of clay, 0.3 kg copper sulfate.
2. To prevent rodents from touching the trunks in winter, carbolic acid (20 g) or Knockdown drug should be added to the whitewash.
3. It is better for young apple trees to replace lime with chalk so as not to damage the delicate green bark. For example, for a bucket of water - 2.5 kg of chalk and a glass of liquid soap to adhere well.

Before whitening trees, it is necessary to well clean the trunks from the old lagging bark, lichens, moss. For disinfection after cleaning it can be sprayed with soap and ash solution.

When, how and how to whiten fruit trees correctly - video