ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service

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ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
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ATTRA Question of the Week

Can you recommend an approved substitute for latex paint for the trunks of young trees interplanted in a certified organic orchard?

E.D.
Oregon

Answer:
The following is a list of possible alternatives for you:

- Lime whitewash made from calcium carbonate. Sources include oystershell flour, dolomite (not slaked), aragonite and mined limestone.

- Kaolin Clay (Surround WP Crop Protectant), the product used to confuse codling moth from laying eggs on treated fruit. It is a clay that leaves a whitish-gray residue; maybe enough to reflect the sunlight and keep the trunk insulated.

- Plastic coils used as rabbit guards. Note that these only cover the main trunk and not the branches.

- Crepe paper tree wrap sold in garden centers and nurseries. Wrap the trees with this paper, fasten with tape to insulate the tree, and remove in the spring.

Posted: December 19, 2005

About the Question of the Week

Each "Question of the Week" is an actual research query submitted by a farmer or rancher and answered by an Agriculture Specialist from the USDA-funded ATTRA program, managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology.

For more information on sustainable agriculture, visit our "Publications and Resources" pages (located in the upper-left navigation area of the page), where you will find ATTRA publications and additional Web links.

Want to ask your own sustainable agriculture question? Then Ask a Sustainable Agriculture Expert.

ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service is managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and is funded under a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Business-Cooperative Service. Visit the NCAT Web site for more information on our sustainable agriculture projects.

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