Painting the Trunks of Trees

[MasterBlaster]

I've seen it done on military bases, as some sort of "decoration." Ha, I've even painted them.

 

[Al Smith]

White or haze gray ?

 

[Underwor]

I believe Alex Shigo contended that the "sunscalding" was more a result of interrupted moisture flow due to flush cuts or root injuries, and that the sun (wide temperature swings due to solar warming followed by a sudden shadow or sunset in our more temperate regions) was merely a trigger, which would make sense as it is usually seen on younger transplants and trees that are basically understory trees planted off site in full sun. The following picture of the SW side of a young linden (lime) shows this phenomenon in line with several pruning cuts on a tree that had been recently planted by tree spade in Central Illinois.

 

[treebogan]

I've been to Bulgaria and Romainia.I thought they white washed the Trees so people could see where the Road was.

Seriously.

 

[sotc]

I believe Alex Shigo contended that the "sunscalding" was more a result of interrupted moisture flow due to flush cuts or root injuries, and that the sun (wide temperature swings due to solar warming followed by a sudden shadow or sunset in our more temperate regions) was merely a trigger, which would make sense as it is usually seen on younger transplants and trees that are basically understory trees planted off site in full sun. The following picture of the SW side of a young linden (lime) shows this phenomenon in line with several pruning cuts on a tree that had been recently planted by tree spade in Central Illinois.

View attachment 38378

Thats interesting, many trees here with no pruning cuts visible. I suppose the root "pruning" process of harvesting B&B trees could be attributed.

 

[stig]

We see a lot of sunscalding on beech trees here in the forest.
If you clear cut an area, the beech trees next to it, that are used to be shaded, will loose their bark and eventually die.

That is one reason we thin them gradually, when renewing a stand.
If we just cut them all away, and left a handful for seed trees, those would get sun scald and die within 3-4 years.

None of our other hardwood trees seem to be as sun sensitive as beech.

 

[Underwor]

Stig, The beech is the ultimate understory tree when it is young and in an old climax forest the thin bark is very well protected from exposure. Willie, Are the trees that are affected in your area those that have traditionally thin, smooth barked when young? Are they those that are normally found in the understory or forest edge when young?

 

[Al Smith]

They might be understory as saplings but I can show pictures of a few in the woods next to mine that are as large and tall as the oaks .We're talking 3.5 feet and a hundred tall .

 

[stig]

We,ve got those here,too, Al.
Bob talks about climax forest as well.

 

[Al Smith]

Climax ? Well I kinda had a different meaning for that word .I'm going to have to google that one .

 

[Al Smith]

I got it figured out .I had just never heard that term before .

 

[Underwor]

Al Isn't it odd how as we age our mind tends to slip to the side of the street near the curb?

 

[Al Smith]

Ha no actually it's a good thing .Talking about the forest stuff now .

 

[treesmith]

When I was a youngster we used to white wash the hen house about once a year .Run all the hens out and the grumpy old rooster .Rinse the walls down with a hose then lay the white wash on with a great wide brush .Let em back in a couple of hours . They'd peck at it a little and then just go about the business of being a chicken .

Al, what was the purpose of painting the inside of the hen house? (Or was it just something to give you to do to keep you out of trouble?) Just wondering if it was to increase the light inside to improve their laying, or somesuch. I was wondering if painting the inside of mine might help.

 

[stig]

Whitewash is higly alcaline. It would probably have been used as an early antiseptic.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I have never seen painted trunks on this side of the Pacific. We have both sun and bugs. Wrapping with straw in the winter is big.