While watching an old movie last night I noticed that the bottom few feet of all the trees were painted white. When I was young I remember walking past orchards and being amazed at the hundreds of half white trees. Does anyone know what it was(insecticide?)and why don’t they paint them anymore?Thanks
I’m not sure about those trees, but I remember my grandfather used to put some white powder stuff on about the bottom foot of his trees. He said it was to keep the tree free of certain types of bugs. Can’t remember exactly, though. I’m sure somebody who knows more about it than I do will come along shortly.
IANA botanist, arborist, orchard-owner, etc.
I’d always heard that the painting was done to prevent branch growth at that level (which would make the crop more difficult to harvest), but I don’t know if that’s true either.
Along the same lines, it’s weird to see the grafted walnut trees in California – in order to get edible nuts, you have to graft another (English walnut?) tree to the root system of a (black?) walnut tree. The trees are quite different in color and type of bark.
Maybe somebody will come along who really knows.
I remember trees were often painted white from the ground up for several feet. It was my understanding that this was done to prevent sun-scald on young trees with tender bark. This is also accomplished by wrapping the trunks with tree wrap, a light paper designed to protect the trunk.
As far as I recall, it was mainly done to prevent sun scald on young trees. It might help prevent branching, but then again by the time the trees are that size, branching out from the lower trunk means the tree is in serious stress and trouble. Today you occassionally see some nitwit doing it because they think it looks attractive rolls eyes or because they just remember it always being done (like the old “cut the ends off the roast before putting it in the pan” story).