Spring advances and, with it, the awakening of nature. In the orchards, among the still bare branches, you will certainly have happened to see white trunks, like silent ghosts. What is it about? No mystery, and not even a mere aesthetic whim: we are in fact talking about the football, an ancient practice that involves the application of the lime on the trunk of the trees. Painting the trunks with lime, according to many, represents an effective weapon against diseases and parasites. But is it really the case? Or do they hide pitfalls that too often they ignore?
Why do the trunks of the trees paint in white?
The football has its roots in the past. To make it, the living lime is used, obtained by heating limestone rocks at high temperatures. In contact with water, it turns to the bottom off, ready to be applied to the trunks. Its power derives from a high pH (between 12 and 13), capable of eliminating mushrooms, bacteria and insect larvae.
A simple and natural remedy, at least apparently. In reality, the effectiveness is limited and the side effects are not negligible. The border between protection and damage, as often happens in agriculture, is thin.
The benefits of football
The lime has a disinfectant action, which helps prevent fungal infections and attacks of wintering insects in the cortex. It also reduces the proliferation of mosses and lichens, which can create favorable micro -environments with parasites. In addition, the white color reflects sunlight, an aspect that will avoid the trunk of overheating too much during the sunny winter days, preventing the chamscoats due to thermal changes.
A treatment, therefore, that looks like a cure -all for trees. But reality, as often happens, is more complex than that.
The less evident disadvantages
We see the negative aspects of the football, often underestimated if not completely unknown.
A double -edged sword for biodiversity
If the lime keeps parasites away, its effect is not selective. Both harmful and useful insects, such as coccinelle and parasitoid hymenoptera, fundamental for natural balance. In addition, with the passage of time, the lime crumbles and deposits itself in the ground, altering the pH. A soil too alkaline can compromise the growth of some plants and reduce the activity of the microfauna, effectively imposing the ecosystem.
In summary: protecting the tree could mean weakening the environment that surrounds it.
Dangerous for those who apply it
Lime is not an harmless product. During the preparation and application can irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory tract, any accidental sketches can cause chemical burns, while inhalation of dust involves concrete health risks. For this reason, it is essential to protect yourself with gloves, mask and glasses. In addition, the operation requires patience: trunk cleaning, preparation of the mixture, uniform application in two hands and annual repetition.
Moral of the fairy tale: It is not exactly a relaxing operation for the weekend.
It is not a miraculous solution
Calcination does not eliminate all problems. Some parasites, such as aphids and caterpillars, certainly do not let themselves be intimidated by a white trunk. Mushrooms and bacteria can however spread from other parts of the plant or survive in the ground. In addition, the protection offered by the lime is not eternal: rain and wind damage it, and reduce its effectiveness over time.
Conclusion: painting the trunk is not enough, good agronomic practices are also needed.
Calcinate or not to kick?
At this point, the question arises spontaneously: does it really make sense to paint the trunks white? The answer is not univocal. In traditional orchards, where you are looking for an approach as natural as possible, the lime can be a valid ally, but it must be used with criteria, without abusing it and evaluating the context.
Those who grow in a biological way should consider alternative methods, such as the use of useful insects and the adoption of propolis -based treatments, or plant extracts. The choice of most resistant varieties to diseases also reduces the need for invasive interventions.
Calcination: Balance and common sense
Painting the trunks of white is not a mistake, but not even a panacea for all evils. Like any agricultural technique, it requires knowledge and measure. If you choose to perform it, you will have to do it well, protecting yourself adequately and evaluating, from time to time, the effects on the ground and on the ecosystem.
And you, are you of the lime team or do you prefer to let nature take its course?
