You should treat a crack in the tree trunk promptly. Cracked bark is the ideal entry point for pests and diseases. Read the best tips here on how to start the healing process on cracked tree bark.
How to treat a crack in the tree trunk?
The best way to treat a crack in the tree trunk is intwo stepsCut cracked bark smoothly with a sharp knife. Apply abreathable wound closure agentto thewound edgesAlternatively, treat a frost crack with horsetail tea and cow dung or clay pack.
How does a crack occur in a tree trunk?
The most common cause of a crack in the tree trunk is afrost crackThe phenomenon can be observed in late winter with strongtemperature fluctuations between day and night. After a frosty night, bright sunlight can intensely heat up the tree bark. The resulting tension causes the bark to burst. Susceptible tree species are primarily fruit trees.
Frost cracking is harmful
Every crack in the tree trunk is dangerous for the tree. Cracked bark loses its protective function. Pests and pathogens use frost cracks as entry points. In the worst case scenario, a tree can die.
What to do if there are cracks in the tree bark?
The best way to treat a crack in the tree trunk is with aTwo-step plan. To do this, you need a sharp knife and a breathable wound closure agent. The best time is a frost-free, dry day. How to do it right:
- Cut the frost crack with a knife until the bark is firmly attached to the trunk again.
- Coat the edges of the wound with a commercially available wound closure agent.
- Alternatively, disinfect the crack with horsetail tea, cover with clay or cow dung and wrap the tree trunk with jute.
How can you prevent frost cracks on the tree trunk?
The best prevention against frost cracks is aorganic white paintbefore winter. The paint consists of natural ingredients such as lime and silica. Thanks to the white color, thesunlight is reflected, so that tree bark cannot heat up as much.
Painting a tree trunk white is to everyone's taste. As an alternative protective measure, you can wrap a tree trunk with reed mats or jute strips before the first frost.
Tip
Mix your own white paint
You can buy white paint to protect against frost cracks from specialist retailers or mix it yourself. The recipe is inexpensive and simple. The ingredients you need are 10 liters of water, 1.5 kilograms of lime, 1 liter of wallpaper glue (the cheap one without synthetic resin) and safety glasses. The optimal lime paint is a little thinner than wall paint so that the liquid can seep into the smallest cracks in the bark.
