2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Many gardeners often notice that lichens have begun to appear on their apple trees. However, not everyone knows that lichens, which are a symbiosis of fungi with algae, can greatly harm fruit trees - as a result of their destructive effects, trees begin to grow much slower, their productivity is noticeably reduced, and in the worst case, you can even face drying of branches … So it is imperative to fight lichens and get rid of them in a timely manner
Getting to know the enemy better
According to the classification, lichens are usually classified as fungi - these formations exist mainly due to photosynthesis, and their life span can number not only several decades, but even whole centuries! And since lichens do not have roots, they receive all the connections they need for proper development from rainwater or from dust settling on their surface.
Lichens are capable of attacking fruit trees of completely different ages, but most often they still appear on old trees, for which slow bark growth is characteristic. Those trees in which the bark cracks, the crowns are too thick (which in turn is fraught with poor ventilation), the root system is broken, or the trunks are frozen in winter are also at risk. Are not immune from the appearance of lichens and sunburned trees.
As for the color of lichens, it can be as varied as you like: from blue and gray-silver shades to rich golden tones. As a rule, their color is directly dependent on algae prevailing in lichen symbiosis.
Despite the fact that the lichens themselves do not have the ability to feed on the juices of apple trees, they in every possible way contribute to the creation of an environment favorable for the development of pests. In addition, they close the respiratory pores located on the cortex. And their high adaptability helps them to survive at too high temperatures or drought, and under a number of other unfavorable conditions!
We eliminate minor damage
If there are not many lichens, it is quite possible to do without scraping them - to get rid of such a nuisance, it is enough to apply a composition prepared from two kilograms of wood ash, one kilogram of salt, ten liters of hot water and two pieces of laundry soap to the tree bark without any additives or flavors. All ingredients are mixed together in a large enough container, after which they are brought to a boil. And when the finished composition cools down, they immediately begin to coat the damaged bark with it.
It also happens that there is absolutely no time to mess around with the preparation of the solution - in this case, you can always resort to the help of specialized drugs endowed with antifungal action ("Skor" is especially good for these purposes).
What if the trees are badly damaged?
In the case of severe damage to trees by lichens, the parasitic colonies are eliminated mainly by mechanical means. And in order to do this, you will need to get a special scraper - such a scraper should not be made of metal, but of wood! This is important in order not to injure the already vulnerable bark of apple trees.
And the best time for treating fruit trees from lichens is considered to be the spring period, before the buds begin to bloom on the apple trees: during this period, the trees always contain an impressive amount of moisture, and by moistening the moss, this moisture greatly facilitates the process of getting rid of it.
In addition to a wooden scraper, you need to prepare a stepladder, a piece of tarpaulin or durable polyethylene, a urea solution, a three percent solution of copper sulfate, a capacious bucket and water.
A tarpaulin or plastic wrap is spread under the trees - this will allow you to quickly collect all the peeled off lichen along with the pests inhabiting it without unnecessary problems and excessive dirt. And they clean off the lichen formed on the trees just with the help of a previously prepared wooden scraper, making sure that the lichen is peeled off until a healthy bark of apple trees appears from under it. Immediately after this procedure, the bark is treated with a 3% solution of copper sulfate, and then urea is diluted in a bucket of water (in this case, the volume from a matchbox is enough), and the area under the tree is sprayed with the resulting solution. And in order to consolidate the result obtained, either in the fall or at the end of winter, it will not hurt to whitewash the trees. It is very simple to prepare a solution for whitewashing: a kilogram of clay, a little mullein, 150 grams of copper sulfate and three kilograms of lime are diluted in ten liters of water. However, if you wish, you can always buy ready-made whitewash in specialized stores.
Prevention
And in order not to have to deal with lichens at all or to reduce these "meetings" to a minimum, one should not forget about prevention, that is, about the correct formation of tree crowns and systematic spraying. With the onset of spring, the apple trees are pruned, thinning their branches in such a way as to significantly improve ventilation and illumination. And, of course, you need to constantly monitor that the humidity does not rise to critical levels, because this is the most fertile environment for the development of lichens that cause a lot of trouble!
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