Clay talker is a very cheap, but at the same time effective and common remedy for protecting the bark and root system of trees from pests, fungi, burns and rodents. Most gardeners use a mixture made from clay, lime, hay, straw, blue vitriol and other ingredients in order to secure the crop and increase fruiting rates.

The benefits of clay talker for trees

Clay talker – and an affordable tool that is used to treat and protect fruit trees. The mixture is characterized by antiseptic properties. It is easy to prepare. Among the main advantages of clay talker are:

  • water tightness;
  • protection from sunlight, cold and weathering;
  • protection against pests, pathogenic microorganisms and fungi;
  • restoration of damaged areas;
  • minimal cost to create it.

It is recommended to prepare a clay talker for trees in order to protect the bark of fruit trees from rodent attacks. Despite the low cost of the composition and the simplicity of its preparation, this method is considered more effective and less harmful than special preparations that are sold in garden stores and are not cheap. The use of this affordable tool can significantly increase the survival rate of seedlings and extend the shelf life of root crops.

Attention! Despite the huge selection of products for the care of fruit trees, clay mash with the addition of ash is popular with European gardeners.

How to cook tree talker

Clay talker is easy to prepare, it can be made from available ingredients. Many gardeners, in addition to the main components, add growth stimulants, copper sulfate and other components to the mixture. Clay talker, prepared for the bark of an apple tree, allows you to tighten both minor wounds and fairly extensive injuries. The restorative function of the mixture is achieved due to the presence of beneficial microorganisms that have antiseptic properties and nourish the bark with valuable minerals and trace elements.

How to make a clay pot for seedlings

Prepare a clay mash for the roots should be to prevent them from drying out during transportation or transplantation. The chatterbox is made from water, earth and clay with the addition of sawdust, which stick to the roots and retain moisture. After processing, the roots must be wrapped with plastic wrap or burlap.

Clay talker for trees: recipes, benefits, applications

The root system of the seedling can be in a mash for up to 7-8 days without the risk of drying out

Before planting in the ground, the roots are removed from the coating with a thorough washing.

Chatterbox made of clay for whitewashing trees

It is recommended to make a clay talker for trees so that the lime mortar does not drain from the trunk and provides reliable protection against pests and temperature changes. In the presence of deep wounds and damage to the tree, the trunk must be pre-treated with a three percent solution of iron sulphate. Then, a bandage should be applied to the problem areas, for the manufacture of which they take cotton cloth or a bandage soaked in clay mash. You can not make it from silk or satin fabric and tighten it too much. The mixture can be supplemented with a small amount of cow dung.

Clay mash for tree bark

You can prepare a clay talker for puttying trees according to this recipe:

  1. Slaked lime (no more than 2,5 kg), fatty clay (1 kg) and blue vitriol (45-55 g) are poured into a bucket of water.
  2. All components are mixed until the lumps completely disappear and a homogeneous consistency is obtained.

Clay-lime mixture can be used for whitewashing trees in both spring and summer.

Attention! Copper tends to accumulate in the tree bark, and an excess of copper sulfate inhibits the growth and development of fruit crops.

Properly cooked talker should not spread along the trunk.

How to prepare a clay mash for cutting

A cut on a tree is an open door for various pathogens and fungi. Untreated damage adversely affects growth and fruiting. You can prepare a clay mash for processing cuts and cracks using the following technology:

  1. Mullein is mixed with clay in a ratio of 1:2.
  2. A small amount of hay or chopped straw is added to the resulting mixture.
  3. Water is poured into the mash and stirred until the consistency of thick sour cream.

The clay composition for sections is applied only to the damaged area. The edge of the damage must remain clean. The tree talker recipe can be supplemented with other ingredients, but you need to carefully monitor the proportions. Otherwise, the finished mixture may turn out to be too liquid and drain from the trunk or harm the bark (root system) due to too high a concentration of additional components.

Terms and rules for processing trees with clay mash

Before treating the tree with a clay mixture, it is necessary to clean the base of the trunk from lichen and the remnants of the exfoliated old bark. This manipulation is carried out manually, since plastic or metal scrapers can injure the tree. To clean cracks and recesses, it is recommended to use a wooden knife or a pointed sliver. It is necessary to get rid of unnecessary branches during pre-treatment in dry weather, otherwise the cuts will drag on for a very long time.

The next step is disinfection. It is also performed exclusively in dry weather conditions without the threat of rain. For disinfection, a mixture is used that includes copper sulfate and other copper-containing preparations. When processing, they resort only to fine spraying, since drops of the solution should simply settle on the surface of the bark and envelop it with a protective layer. Disinfection with the use of soap-ash infusion is considered effective.

Clay talker for trees: recipes, benefits, applications

To close up wounds and treat with a clay mixture, they proceed only after the completion of all preparatory manipulations.

Whitewashing of trunks is done no more than three times a year: the main procedure is performed in the fall from October to November, the next – at the very end of winter or with the onset of spring. The third whitewash is carried out in mid-July, but some gardeners consider it superfluous and are limited to two. The procedure is necessary for both young seedlings and adult trees. Some experts warn that whitewashing can harm annual crops due to the burning of delicate bark.

The autumn procedure is considered the most important, since it protects the fruit tree from larvae, spores of various fungi, sunburn, temperature changes and other negative factors.

How to make a clay mash for storing root crops and flower tubers

With the help of a clay talker, you can save carrots, beets, celery and other vegetables until spring. After dipping, they must be dried and placed in a cellar or other suitable place for storage. Thanks to the clay mixture, it is possible to preserve the tubers of dahlias and other ornamental crops by bathing the planting material in a mash with the addition of manganese or copper sulfate. After the clay crust has completely dried, the tubers are put in boxes and put away for storage. With the onset of spring, you need to knock on the crust without significant effort to shed it.

Preservation with a mixture of clay allows you to save not only moisture, but also the taste of the root crop, vitamins and most of the useful components. Many gardeners find that by spring, a significant portion of their beetroot or carrot supply is lost to rodent attack. With the help of a clay mixture, you can easily prevent any invasion of the crop from a variety of pests.

Conclusion

Clay talker is a universal remedy for protecting fruit trees from fungi, mold, parasites, rodents, sunburn and weathering. The main advantages are ease of preparation and incredibly low cost of the mixture. With the help of a talker, you can not only secure the crop, but also preserve the root crops until spring, without losing their pronounced taste and useful properties. In the case of proper use, this tool has practically no drawbacks.

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