What did you do in the garden today?

[GardenTillers44]

chickmom3941, post: Yesterday, I wrapped the trunk of our young pear tree with thin white cardboard. Don't know if y'all have to worry about sun scorch in the southern states, but up here, it's good to wrap the trunks of young trees for the winter.


I put a spiral hard plastic nursery wrap around the trunk of any fruit tree under 4" caliper to keep animal damage under control. Buck deer rubs are the worst but rabbits and rodents gnawing the bark can be a problem also. Unfortunately, not enough sun here in the winter to worry about sun scald.

Today we had some family over to watch our alma mater in their rivalry game and then made holiday wreaths from materials collected on the farm. The kids loved it!

 

[CapricornFarm]

Maybe it's just a concern in northern states. I messed up the name of it, too, it's not sun scorch like I said, it's really called sunscald. Basically, when the bark of the dormant tree warms up during the day from the sun shining on it, it can reactivate the cells in the trunk, then at night when it gets cold, the cells are unable to return to dormancy quickly enough, and the colder temps can kill the active cells. The bark of the tree can also split, as well. This most often happens to young trees with thin bark. By wrapping the trunk in white paper or thin cardboard, it reflects the heat of the sun off the tree trunk, thus saving the tree from sunscald. Don't want to lose our young pear tree - we want some pears!

My pear tree got left in TN so it is not mine any more. I need to get some fruit trees. Sounds like a good precaution to wrap the trunk!

 

[Pensmaster]

Maybe it's just a concern in northern states. I messed up the name of it, too, it's not sun scorch like I said, it's really called sunscald. Basically, when the bark of the dormant tree warms up during the day from the sun shining on it, it can reactivate the cells in the trunk, then at night when it gets cold, the cells are unable to return to dormancy quickly enough, and the colder temps can kill the active cells. The bark of the tree can also split, as well. This most often happens to young trees with thin bark. By wrapping the trunk in white paper or thin cardboard, it reflects the heat of the sun off the tree trunk, thus saving the tree from sunscald. Don't want to lose our young pear tree - we want some pears!

This probably explains why my pear trees bark is peeling. It never did well. I thought it was insects. Lesson learned. New trees will be protected. Does the white paint give the same protection?

 

[igorsMistress]

Maybe it's just a concern in northern states. I messed up the name of it, too, it's not sun scorch like I said, it's really called sunscald. Basically, when the bark of the dormant tree warms up during the day from the sun shining on it, it can reactivate the cells in the trunk, then at night when it gets cold, the cells are unable to return to dormancy quickly enough, and the colder temps can kill the active cells. The bark of the tree can also split, as well. This most often happens to young trees with thin bark. By wrapping the trunk in white paper or thin cardboard, it reflects the heat of the sun off the tree trunk, thus saving the tree from sunscald. Don't want to lose our young pear tree - we want some pears!

Here the tree trunks are painted to prevent sun scald, usually before summer. I'm pretty sure it's latex paint mixed with water.

Here's a link to an article specifically for cold climates but has good info for those of us in the south.

http://www.gardenmyths.com/sunscald-trees-prevention/

 

[chickmom3941]

chickmom3941, post: Yesterday, I wrapped the trunk of our young pear tree with thin white cardboard. Don't know if y'all have to worry about sun scorch in the southern states, but up here, it's good to wrap the trunks of young trees for the winter.


I put a spiral hard plastic nursery wrap around the trunk of any fruit tree under 4" caliper to keep animal damage under control. Buck deer rubs are the worst but rabbits and rodents gnawing the bark can be a problem also. Unfortunately, not enough sun here in the winter to worry about sun scald.

Today we had some family over to watch our alma mater in their rivalry game and then made holiday wreaths from materials collected on the farm. The kids loved it!View attachment 1195807

Love the wreath! I often use the wild plants & grasses growing out in the field to use in decorations for the house. They really look nice for just wild grass & bramble. I was thinking of doing a winter decoration in the window planter on the chicken coop, with pine branches and other things growing on the property. Would look much better than an empty planter box! What are the red berries on your wreath? They look perfect for winter decorating.

 

[Pensmaster]

Good article maybe white pvc pipe cut in half then zipped tied around the tree. Sounds like all it needs is the south side covered. That way more air space so fungus doesn’t have a place to grow.
Think I will just paint them as there’s usually an abundance of white paint here. Not to mention safer than cutting pvc.

Here the tree trunks are painted to prevent sun scald, usually before summer. I'm pretty sure it's latex paint mixed with water.

Here's a link to an article specifically for cold climates but has good info for those of us in the south.

http://www.gardenmyths.com/sunscald-trees-prevention/

 

[Pensmaster]

Love the wreath! I often use the wild plants & grasses growing out in the field to use in decorations for the house. They really look nice for just wild grass & bramble. I was thinking of doing a winter decoration in the window planter on the chicken coop, with pine branches and other things growing on the property. Would look much better than an empty planter box! What are the red berries on your wreath? They look perfect for winter decorating.

Couple years ago as I was cleaning up around the house I clipped a vine like plant I think it was wisteria and rolled it up thinking it would make a great wreath. It’s still floating around out there somewhere and it would still make a great wreath.

 

[GardenTillers44]

What are the red berries on your wreath? They look perfect for winter decorating.

Winterberry holly. It is native shrub around here but also sold in garden centers. It gets covered in red berries that stay on for most of the winter or until the birds eat them. Like you, we will scour the farm for all kinds of fresh or dried flowers, grasses, twigs and berries to make seasonal decor around the house in vases and wall sconces. I'll add chicken or turkey feathers sometimes as accents.

 

[CapricornFarm]

If you ask at Lowes they will give you branches cut off Xmas trees . I use them to cover bulb beds and decorating as well.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Does anyone know how to start new sweet potato plants? They are cheap now so i thought i might store some in the root cellar for spring.