Author Topic: Painting trees  (Read 2172 times)

DFWCitrus

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Painting trees
« on: April 13, 2017, 10:11:18 AM »
Anyone try painting your citrus tree trunks and stalks? Is there a benefit?

I bought some organic tree paint to give it a try as I noticed some cracking of bark on a Satsuma from last summers heat. I figured it can't hurt.

robbyhernz

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Re: Painting trees
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2017, 02:04:58 PM »
I just put 4 citrus that had been in containers for 4 years in the ground and i started noticing sunburn! VERY SURPRISED, especially with my grapefruit since they love heat! Anyways, i just painted all of the trunks white as well. I've seen them painted white all my life so i figured it wouldn't hurt! I also painted some bare root pecans and peaches as well just while they acclimate. i don't know that i will do it once they are established.

I'm curious what others think as well.

spaugh

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Re: Painting trees
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2017, 06:46:25 PM »
Yes, half white latex half water is supposed to be the ticket.  If the trees have enough leaves they shouldnt need it though.
Brad Spaugh

Viking Guy

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Re: Painting trees
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2017, 10:49:25 AM »
I just put 4 citrus that had been in containers for 4 years in the ground and i started noticing sunburn! VERY SURPRISED, especially with my grapefruit since they love heat! Anyways, i just painted all of the trunks white as well. I've seen them painted white all my life so i figured it wouldn't hurt! I also painted some bare root pecans and peaches as well just while they acclimate. i don't know that i will do it once they are established.

I'm curious what others think as well.

Don't be surprised here.

Citrus are a closed canopy tree, meaning they prefer to shade their trunks.  This is why pruning citrus is not a good idea other than for size control and removing dead, damaged or diseased limbs.  If you open their bark up to direct sunlight, they will get sunburn.

When shopping for citrus trees, avoid the long bare sticks if you plan to plant in direct sunlight.  If you do, leave it in the pot and keep it in filtered light until it closes its canopy.

The exact opposite is true for stonefruits, apples, pears, etc.  They are open canopy, and prefer wind and sunlight reaching their inner canopy.  The only thing you'd need to paint on a stonefruit would be possibly around the graft unions, otherwise they're not going to sunburn like a citrus would.
« Last Edit: April 14, 2017, 01:17:34 PM by Viking Guy »

Millet

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Re: Painting trees
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2017, 12:27:49 PM »
ORGANIC tree paint???  Never knew there was such a thing.
« Last Edit: April 14, 2017, 08:02:44 PM by Millet »

Citradia

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Re: Painting trees
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2017, 07:41:07 PM »
How about inward growing branches on trifoliata and its hybrids; is it ok to remove inward growing branches, because they sure do like to produce those? And thorns. Lots of thorns.

DFWCitrus

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Re: Painting trees
« Reply #6 on: April 14, 2017, 09:03:49 PM »
I bought this product in the image. Not cheap. All my trees are younger as I just moved to Texas a little over a year ago so most of my citrus do not have a canopy.

Larry


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Re: Painting trees
« Reply #7 on: April 15, 2017, 03:28:11 AM »
Citradia, I removed on inward growing branch just this day. The choice of branches to eliminate is based on the concept that any space with in the canopy must be covered by only one branch.  It is not good to let surplus branches occupy the same aerial space.  Anyway, thinning must not deplete any canopy sector.  Suckers can be kept (if you wish) only if they occupy free spaces. After a few years they bear fruit, BUT ALL INTERIOR SUCKERS MUST BE CUT OUT.  Vegetation free canopy spaces must be avoided since they reduce yield. (The Genus Citrus)

Very correct.  Key words, "free spaces."

Definitely remove inward facing branches which are crossing and touching other properly formed branches, but try to do so without causing much exposure to the canopy.