Tree service professionals of Naples, Florida share insight into the reasons for those tree trunks with white paint.
Why Are Some Trees Painted White On Their Trunks?
When you see a tree with white paint on its trunk you may wonder the reason. It certainly looks neat and tidy to have a long line of trees shading a sidewalk, each with a ring of white about two feet up from the roots. Though it may look like some sort of ornament, it is actually a sort of armor for the tree.
The article below will explain why a landscaper or tree service company might put white paint on the lower part of tree trunks.
Why Would Trees Need White Paint?
White paint can serve two purposes for trees. It is not decoration, but a form of protection against two harmful things: sunscald and pest infestation. Sunscald is basically a sunburn for trees. If the tree has a fairly thin bark and trunk, it can be damaged by extreme temperature changes in the winter months.
The cold winter nights that are succeeded by bright sunny days cause bark to crack and split, reducing flow of nutrients to the upper branches, causing a slow decline of tree health.
This is why the paint is placed on the lower part of the trunk because the upper part is protected by the leaf canopy. Insects can also bore into the trunk and kill the tree from within. If the paint is mixed with water and joint compound it can create a natural barrier that can fend off bug invasion.
What Are The Effects of Sunscald?
Sunscald, as previously mentioned, is a phenomenon that causes damage to trees during the winter when extreme temperature changes are more likely. When bark cracks and the trunk splits, it causes a host of problems for a tree, including the items listed below.
- Vulnerability to tree disease
- Reduced nutrient and water flow to the tree crown
- Vulnerability to pests, especially suckers and borers
- Damage to tree stability
All of these can contribute to the need for tree removal. Sometimes plant health care specialists such as certified arborists can save trees with any of these problems, but sometimes they must be given up as a loss.
How Should You Protect Your Trees? DIY Painting Tips
While homeowners can employ a tree health care professional to paint their trees, it is also fairly easy to do oneself. There are some things that should be understood before proceeding. A paintbrush is best for application.
- The Proper Paint:The paint should be water-based latex paint and should be diluted with water.
- The Proper Mix: One part paint and one part water (such as one gallon of paint to a gallon of water)
- How to Include Bug Prevention: Add equal parts of water, joint compound, and paint for preventing borers.
- The Proper Tools: A paintbrush is the best for this job. Spraying may not stick.
- Remember to Refresh: The paint job needs to be done about once a year.
About Any Town Tree
Based in Naples, FL and serving all the surrounding communities, Any Town Tree offers high quality tree care at a reasonable price. Call today for a free estimate.