Every gardener who has his own plot is proud of the grown crop, flowering plants and, of course, fruit trees. However, the latter are very often attacked by rodents. Mice are especially attracted to the bark of apple and pear trees. Sometimes preventive measures are ineffective. How to save an apple tree damaged by mice, we will consider in this article.
What happens to the tree?
The bark is the main transport route for beneficial nutrients and water. If at least part of the trunk remains intact, then the outcome can be successful, since the tree receives all the substances from the ground into the crown through the undamaged side. But even in this case, the apple tree becomes weak, more prone to diseases and pests, flowering and fruiting will be sluggish.
If mice damage the bark of an apple tree around the trunk, then the tree most likely dies, since access to nutrients becomesimpossible. In this case, it is required to cut down or uproot the tree.
Treatment of apple trees damaged by mice
The most important thing is the timely treatment of damaged apple trees. Mice infest trees most often in spring, as rodent activity increases from February to March.
Small wounds on a tree can be treated with garden pitch or prepare a special healing mixture. It consists of clay and mullein, which are mixed in equal proportions and applied to the trunks in an even layer. After that, they are wrapped with cloth or gauze, covered with polyethylene from rain. It turns out a kind of healing bandage, but it only works for small and medium injuries.
How to save an apple tree damaged by mice quite badly? If the area of damage to the bark is large or the mice have gnawed it in a circle, efforts will have to be made to save the tree. As soon as damages become noticeable, they are wrapped with a film, and covered with roofing material on top. It is especially important to make such a bandage as soon as possible in winter so that the tree does not freeze through. And with the onset of spring, you can vaccinate with a bridge.
How to make a bridge vaccination correctly?
How to save an apple tree damaged by mice in a circle, and even in cold weather? You will need a special vaccination. To begin with, the damaged bark is cut and cleaned until he althy wood appears. Then they are treated with preparations containing copper or manganese.
After that, several annual cuttings of any variety of apple or pear are cut, absolutely any variety, even wild ones, will do. Cuttings should be cutso that they are 3-4 centimeters larger than the width of the damage. On both sides of the cutting, oblique cuts are made. An important condition is a good tool sharpening!
Further, in the upper and lower parts of the cortex, between which there is damage, make a T-shaped incision. The bark is gently folded over and ready-made cuttings are inserted under it. Then this place is smeared with pitch, wrapped with tapes or a special film after vaccination. The latter itself disappears over time under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.
Such cuttings-bridges are placed over the entire surface of the damage at a distance of 6 centimeters from each other. Cover with burlap on top and leave until the end of summer. Through such peculiar bridges, nutrition from the roots enters the shoots and leaves.
When properly vaccinated, the damaged area is covered with fresh bark.
Prevention comes first
Since prevention is always easier than cure, let's look at preventive measures first. The most economical and common option is to protect the trunk of an apple tree with spruce branches. They are tied around a tree, while the needles should look down. The branches are arranged in such a way that the largest number of needles is at the bottom of the trunk. This makes the lower bark inaccessible to rodents.
Another affordable way is to tie the trunk with roofing material. However, attention should be paid to the following point. The roofing material is black, which means it attracts the sun's rays, the surface heats up andburns may appear on the tree. In order to prevent this from happening, before the layer of roofing material, the trunk is tied with a dense cloth or burlap.
Another way to protect is to mulch the space around the trunk with sawdust soaked in creolin.
In addition, special nets and baits for the destruction of mice are sold in stores. A solid fence should be installed around the garden, and snow should be trampled around apple trees in winter to destroy mouse passages.
In conclusion
So, even a partial loss of bark is a disaster for a tree, because, having lost its "skin", the apple tree becomes very vulnerable and can die from any disease or from lack of nutrition. The best way to save an apple tree damaged by mice is to graft with a bridge.
However, it is best to pay due attention to preventive measures, in this case, the tree will not become easy prey for mice and other rodents.
