Rodents pose a huge danger to the garden. Despite their miniature size, they are capable of causing tremendous harm to fruit trees. Most of all, they like the apple tree. How to protect the trunks of these trees and young seedlings from mice in winter will be described in this article.
Rodent harm
In the cold period of time, mice have nothing to eat, and they are constantly in search of food. By the end of winter and the beginning of spring, these rogues are especially active. Once in the garden, they are ready to nibble everything in their path, but the main target for them are apple trees. Unlike stone fruit plants, the bark of apple trees is not bitter and more convenient for nibbling due to its soft structure. If pests partially damage the trunks, then the trees can still be saved. Some gardeners had to observe how, after a massive invasion of mice, tree trunks along the entire diameter were damaged, and many of these plants could not be saved.
Sometimes mice get to the root system of trees, which poses a great threat to spring awakening and further development of plants. It is no accident that gardeners are faced with the question of how to protect apple trees from mice in winter.
Young apple trees and new seedlings are especially in need of protection from rodents. They are a favorite food for garden pests.
Risk of damage
Since rodents like to eat kidneys, roots and bark, after visiting them, the trunk of the plant is exposed. A stamp in this state is not able to cope with the necessary processes taking place inside it.
The bark is responsible for the important functions of the plant. It provides continuous movement of water and nutrients. Also, the bark serves as reliable armor against many small pests and diseases.
If the bark is damaged on all sides, it is likely that it will be torn off from the main source of nutrition - the root, and this threatens the death of the tree. To prevent this from happening, you need to take care in advance about how to protect the apple tree from mice in winter. There are several ways of such protection, which we will alternately consider in the article.
Preventative measures
Proper care of the apple tree and preparation for the winter will protect against rodents. A well-tidied garden will not beckon pests. Mice love to find secluded places under foliage and make moves in them. Therefore, in the autumn, you need to carefully dig out all the leaves and remove the heaps with dry grass.
The areas around the trunks should be dug up, which will serve as an obstacle for rodents. Bare land does not attract mice, as they prefer to make their way to tree trunks under the cover of dry grass. Digging should be done carefully so as not to cut the roots. Then you need to wrap the trunks of apple trees.
Another preventive way to protect apple trees from mice in winter is to compact the snow around the trunks. Such an obstacle will not allow rodents to easily get to their delicacy, as they make their moves under the snow cover.
Covering material
Winding trunks serves two purposes: it protects the plant from severe frostbite and from rodents. The covering material used by gardeners is diverse. The main thing is that it be dense enough. It can be agrofibre, burlap, old stockings, plastic bottles or film.
It is recommended to use a canvas of neutral shades. This contributes to an even flow and distribution of heat and light to the tree trunks.
Under the canvas when wrapping the trunks you can not lay organic material. This will be a great bait for rodents. Dry leaves, straw, hay and even peat or humus for mice are suitable building materials for minks.
Before you begin to shelter plants, it is important to understand the principle itself, how to protect the apple tree from mice in the winter, and then use the available materials. It consists in the following: the protective layer should not only encircle the trunk to the first branches, but also cover the soil around the tree. This implies the use of several types of material or methods of protection. Moreover, the covering tissue must be firmly fixed at the basal site. The root system is covered with mulch soaked in a caustic agent to repel mice.
Mechanical protection method
An excellent adaptation from rodents is a metal mesh. Most often it is used as a barrier against hares. But if there is such a material with thick weaving in household goods, then it is suitable for protection from mice.
A mechanical barrier is considered one of the best ways for an apple tree. The trunk and bark in this case will remain in their natural conditions. Sunlight and heat will penetrate through the grate. The installation of the grid provides the plants with regular ventilation, which, in turn, prevents the occurrence of diaper rash and diseases.
The mesh is dug into the soil by 25 cm with great care so as not to damage the roots. Its height should correspond to the length of the stem.
For this purpose, apply and a soft grid for storing vegetables. To create good protection, it is wound in several layers.
Winding trunks
In most cases, soft materials are preferred. They are convenient to use and less injure the bark. You can choose a dense elastic fabric or polyethylene.
How to protect apple trees from mice in winter with this material? For convenience, it is better to cut the canvas with ribbons 20-25 cm wide. It is necessary to wrap tree trunks so that there are no empty gaps. Each subsequent round needs to be a little superimposed on the previous one. Such a supply will not allow the wind to unwind the covering material. From above it is fixed with wire or rope at intervals of 15-20 cm.
To decide what to wrap the apple tree for the winter from mice, you need to take into account the number of trees in the garden. Buying agrofibre or film for a large garden can be too expensive. In this case, the protective materials can be combined. For example, a part of the trees should be wrapped with roofing material. In horticultural practice, even spruce branches are used. They are tied with a shtamb, placing it with branches down.
It is important to know that you need to use roofing material correctly. The first layer must be wrapped with a soft cloth or paper. The covering material should fit snugly against each other so that gaps do not form between them. Water can enter the voids, which subsequently leads to icing of the stem.
The ruberoid is rather dense and impermeable in structure, so with the onset of spring it must be removed immediately.
"Creolin" - an effective remedy for rodents
The drug is intended for use in veterinary medicine. It is used to combat blood-sucking insects and pasture flies. In the instructions for use, “Creolin” is described as a strong antiseptic with antiparasitic and disinfectant effects. The tool is used for psoroptosis in sheep, as well as for the treatment of cattle. With its help, disinfection of rooms where birds and pets are kept is carried out.
This tool is widely used in the cultivation of crops. Its insecticidal effects were discovered. It kills pests such as butterflies and ticks, and helps fight nematodes and aphids.
Experienced gardeners use Creole from mice in the garden. For this purpose, a teaspoon of the product is diluted in 1 liter of sunflower oil and in the autumn lubricate the trunks of apple trees.
In addition to protection against rodents, an oil-based solution has a healing effect. It heals damaged areas on the cortex and prevents the strong impact of unwanted climate changes. Coating the trunks with this tool is an excellent preventive measure against diseases and harmful insects.
With the same solution, you can soak the sawdust and place them around the apple trees. In this case, “Creolin” from mice in the garden serves as an effective deterrent and helps protect the protective layer of the trunk from damage.
In the summer, treating trees with oil solution protects them from aphids.
With an aqueous solution of “Creolin” trees are treated after frostbite and damage by rodents. It also helps in the fight against small pests that damage the bark of trees. For the manufacture of working solution take 1 tsp. liquid per 200 ml of water. The product is applied to the tissue, applied to damaged areas and fixed. You can add it to the whitewash for spring trunks processing.
The instructions for use "Creolin" refers to the toxicity of the drug. It has a 3 degree of danger, therefore it is necessary to use it with rubber gloves.
Protection of young seedlings
Young seedlings are especially vulnerable. In the first winter season, they must pass a certain hardening. The weather at this time of the year is very unpredictable, so it is better to play it safe and wrap new trees well. If, in addition to frostbite, the young bark will be spoiled by rodents, then, most likely, the seedling will disappear.
There is reliable protection of young apple trees from mice. For the winter, it is better to wrap them with covering material purchased in a specialized store. On sale, he is found under the name "Spanbond" or "Lutrasil."
Before wrapping up the seedlings spud 20 cm. Since this technique is included in the proper care of the trees, the root system of young apple trees will feel better. This will also save on shelter, which is not cheap.
An alternative to the production material are nylon tights. They must be securely fixed below and further wrap the barrel to the crown. The upper part of the plant can be covered with a film.
Spraying
The preparation of apple trees for winter (autumn) includes such a necessary measure as spraying. An effective remedy in this regard is copper sulfate. Rodents react negatively to the smell of this substance. In this case, the trees receive double protection. It kills insect pests and prevents fungal infections that can affect tree trunks due to the formation of excessive dampness in the winter-spring period.
To prepare the solution, 100 g of powder and 1 bucket of water are taken. Spraying is carried out very abundantly, since this remedy does not harm plants. They can also process young trees. Typically, such work is carried out in November, in calm, dry weather.
Spraying with a Bordeaux mixture can be carried out even at the beginning of winter with the appearance of the first frosts. Feeling an unpleasant odor, the mice will bypass your garden. And late processing of a garden will allow to keep its effect longer.
Coating the trunks
With autumn whitewash of the stem, various odorous substances must be added to the solution. However, this method provides only temporary protection, since over time the odors disappear.
Thick whitewashing is another important event in preparing the apple tree for winter. In autumn, tree trunks are coated with liquid mixtures. Unlike whitewash, they should have a thick consistency.
It is better to purchase such products in stores whose chemical composition is already selected in the correct proportions. Similar solutions can be prepared independently, taking into account the recommendations of experienced gardeners.
To prepare the mixture, the following components will be required: 1.5 kg of laundry soap, 2 bottles of vegetable oil (0.5 l), 200 ml of turpentine and 150 g of naphthalene.
If after processing the boles an excess mixture remains, it must be evenly poured around the tree.
Fighting rodents with odors
For mice, the smell of naphthalene is disgusting. This substance is placed in plastic bottles and hung on trees. Various dried herbs are placed in these containers, the aroma of which is unpleasant for pests. The content with which you will scare away mice must be changed every week throughout the winter.
Some gardeners are forced to resort to extreme measures to destroy mice. They lay out various poisons around fruit trees that serve as bait for rodents. If pets do not walk in the garden in winter, this method will be effective.
Conclusion
We looked at several methods for protecting apple trees from mice in winter. Each gardener can choose the one that is more convenient for him.
Since universal means for shelter does not exist, the use of any of them is somehow associated with a certain risk to the trees. In order to guarantee success, it is better to use different methods at the same time.
Before creating protection from covering material, it is better to coat the trunks of apple trees with a special protective solution. Mulch with a cloying smell, poisons and other odorous lures will serve as additional deterrents.