How to treat the trunk of apple trees in diseases of the bark: review
The apple tree is one of the most popular in the modern farm garden. It is easy to care for, and its fruits have excellent taste characteristics. However, this tree is occasionally exposed to various diseases. Under some morbidity or adverse conditions, the trunk of the apple tree is affected. In this article we will consider in detail the diseases of apple bark and tell, how to treat a sick tree.
With frostbite and burns
Why does the bark of an apple tree crack?? One of the reasons, that the bark cracked, there may be severe frosts, to which the tree was not ready, or sunburn. If you noticed, that the bark on the trunk or branches has burst is the first sign of trouble.
Plants in your garden are sometimes difficult to tolerate winter frosts. If you have not taken care of it in advance, to increase the winter hardiness of the tree and strengthen it before the onset of cold weather, be prepared for the consequences. A sign of frostbite is the appearance of cracks in the bark. If the bark is not cracked too much, the apple tree itself will cope with the treatment, and when in the spring the active juice movement will begin, the wounds will tighten themselves. If large areas are cracked, it is necessary to clean the exfoliated bark and cover the wound with garden pitch.
in addition, leaking tubes of the bark may be the result of the negative effects of sunlight. Usually they have such an effect on young trees, after all, the old apple tree burns are not terrible. At a burn the bark peels off and gets lighter shade. Dead areas should be cleaned and wounds treated, using peroxide solution or garden lime.
It's worth remembering, that when the bark of an apple tree bursts, action must be taken immediately, because it makes the plant vulnerable to various pests and fungal diseases, even for such as fruit rot. So do not let the case drift, it is necessary to process trees.
With physical injuries
These include injuries, resulting from a rodent attack (in winter your garden becomes a real gift for them), adverse weather conditions or improper crown formation.
Why treat the trunk of apple trees when the bark is damaged? Here you will be helped again by garden lime. It is this tool that treats damaged areas on the trunk, to restore the apple tree, if the pests were to blame. If as a result of heavy rain, wind and hail broke one or more branches, cut them under the base and smear with garden pitch or yellow clay with the addition of mullein (in the ratio 1:1).
In diseases
But not only frostbite and burns can be the cause, that the plant cracks and bursts the bark. It can also be the result of a serious illness - even one, like black cancer, against which there is no cure.
What diseases exist and what to do, if the bark in the apple tree cracks due to the disease?
Cytosporosis
This disease of the cortex is quite unpleasant, and if not take timely action, recovery of your pet is unlikely to be possible. Cytosporosis looks like small reddish-brown wounds, which first appear on the branches, but over time they occupy an increasing area, which leads to the rapid death of branches. Because of this fungal disease, which is developing rapidly, it can die fairly quickly.
How to treat such a disease of the apple tree trunk?
First you need to remove the affected branches, trimming them by hand. Damaged areas on the trunk of the apple tree should be cut with a knife, and then apply a mullein compress with clay to the incisions treated with copper sulphate, fastened it to the place of damage with a bandage. These treatments have a restorative effect and soon the apple will be healthy again.
Black cancer
Why the trunk of an apple tree turns black? This is evidence of that, that a terrible disease has appeared in your garden, which is called black cancer. If the plant was weakened after fruiting or as a result of adverse weather conditions, it becomes particularly susceptible to this disease. Infected areas of the trunk turn black, the scale of the disease is clearly visible. The bark turned black, easily cracked, peels and falls off, exposing loose wood.
How to cure this disease? Unfortunately, if your plant is infected with black cancer, it will be easiest to get rid of him, that your site was cleared of this infection. But if the disease has not yet gone far, you can try to do your best, to save the plant. To do this, remove and cut out all the affected areas, and the wounds are covered with copper sulfate, followed by the application of clay lotion, mixed with mullein. If the cracked bark is almost completely destroyed, you can try to use the inoculation bridge.
Ordinary cancer
Characterized by the appearance of growths, surrounded by darkened bumps. Due to the low speed of spread, the chances of saving the apple tree are much higher, than in previous disease.
You should use the same technique, used in the treatment of black cancer. If attempts to cure the plant were fruitless, nothing remains, except how to destroy it.
With lichen
Lichens, usually, do not refer to diseases. They look like a green plaque on the trunk of an apple tree and do not harm the tree. But the problem is, that various insects and pests can appear in them, which affect the fruits and leaves of apple trees in the spring.
To remove lichens, no need to use additional drugs - they are quite easy to remove by hand. If this is difficult, places, where they are, sprayed with soap solution, and in half an hour clean.
Prevention
so, we have considered the main diseases of apple trees, in which the bark may burst, and their treatment. Now let's tell, what drugs to use, to avoid various diseases.
To protect the tree from frost, you need to take care of that, so that it is securely sheltered for the winter. For this purpose the trunk is wrapped with various cloths and well fixed. Winding with roofing felt or spruce will help protect the plant from the sharp teeth of rodents.
For the prevention of cytosporosis use the drug "Hom" (leave it in this state until spring), copper sulphate (before flowering) and a side mixture (also before flowering).
Maintaining good plants in your garden will save you from black and common cancer: strengthening nutrients, fertilizer poor in nutrients nutrients - all, which strengthens immunity and resistance to disease.
It's also worth remembering, that cracks in the trunk can cause much more serious diseases, due to the ingestion of various bacteria and fungi. So do not forget about timely intervention.
Video "Rescue apple trees after damage by rodents"
In this video you will learn about it, how to save a fruit tree after damage to the bark by rodents.
