Log In
Register
Discuss
Topic RSS
6:39 pm
October 1, 2020
Offline
Snow is around the corner here and I'm wondering what else I should do to prepare my trees for winter. I've cleared out all the leaves to suppress pestilence. I bought a bottle of dormant oil but I haven't yet applied it as I'm a bit hesitant about overdosing. I had read some posts earlier about applying an organic clay-based elixir to the trunk, is that recommended?
What do other people here do to winterize?
Zone 6a in the moraines of eastern Connecticut.
7:19 pm
Moderators
March 16, 2015
Offline
Not a lot. Keep leaves and mulch away from tree trunks lest you provide a cozy home for voles, who will eat you tree cambium until they kill the tree.
I bring in tender plants. I put a rain cover on plants that need excellent drainage. You probably don't get so much winter rain.
We hardly get any snow in Portland.
John S
PDX OR
10:31 pm
November 17, 2018
Offline
Ummm. What kinds of trees do you have? This can be an important consideration.
Not all trees can tolerate dormant oil sprays that utilize Sulfur.
Tell us more.
12:58 pm
Moderators
March 16, 2015
Offline
I put the Biodynamic tree paste, but only on the trees that look like they need help.
JohN S
PDX OR
12:43 pm
October 1, 2020
Offline
Buzz, mostly I have apples and sweet cherries with a couple tart cherries, a dwarf peach, a pluerrie, a plumcot all of these on M27, G935, Newroot-1, Citation and St Julien. I've got Sweet Shelly grapes, a trailing blackberry and a dwarf blackberry. There are a couple of mature pears as well, and the trunks on these have split to varying degrees.
John, that's the elixer I was reading about. So, it's not a general prophylactic? Seem like a lot of work but maybe worth the effort if it wards off disease and pestilence. I was thinking of painting the trunks with latex paint which I've read can prevent trunk splitting. Iirc it's a clay based mixture. What type of clay do you use?
Zone 6a in the moraines of eastern Connecticut.
8:28 pm
Moderators
March 16, 2015
Offline
It's not really a lot of work. Just finding the biodynamic/permaculture cow poo is the hardest. Mix with sand and clay. Maybe diatomaceous earth. I just use local clay from my yard or close. Lots of clay soil here.
John S
PDX OR
Most Users Ever Online: 232
Currently Online:
7 Guest(s)
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)
Top Posters:
DanielW: 408
Rooney: 364
Reinettes: 197
davem: 146
sweepbjames: 128
Larry_G: 95
jekahrs: 67
Dubyadee: 66
GH: 66
buzzoff: 57
Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 0
Members: 575
Moderators: 5
Admins: 1
Forum Stats:
Groups: 1
Forums: 4
Topics: 625
Posts: 4234
Newest Members:
kelsharose, justpeachy, sima22, Eric101, bbinko, Cleaningservice101, madhu@mbkhindi.org, Atalanta4apples, tanjaalger, nthurstonModerators: John S: 907, Marsha H: 2, Viron: 224, jafar: 416, portlandian: 1
Administrators: Idyllwild: 25
Usage Policy