If you've ever seen tree trunks painted white, especially on cultivated fruit and nut trees, you've seen limewash.

What is Limewash?

Limewash is made of hydrated lime (aka Calcium Hydrxide), Oil, and Water.

Why Put Limewash on Trees

Sun Protection

Freeze Protection

Temperature Regulation

Pest Deterrance

Cracking Prevention

Moss & Lichen Prevention

Borer Spotting

How to Limewash Trees

Supplies

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide) [120g]
  • 2 cups water [475 mL]
  • 1 tbsp salt [15g]

Directions

  1. Mix the water and salt in a bucket
  2. Add the hydrated lime slowly while continuously stirring
  3. Mix until it's thick like pancake batter
    • Adjust with more water or lime if it's too thick or too runny
  4. Let sit 15 minutes

Application

Be sure to stir your limewash again when you go to apply it.

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Apply in dry weather, when rain is not on the forecast.

Apply between the base of the trunk and the first branches.

Reapplication

Limewash may need rapplication after very heavy rain, or over time as it wears off.

Be sure to keep an eye on your trees ane reapply as needed.

Why Does Limewash Sometimes Include Oil?

You may have noticed that some limewash recipes include oil, and others (like ours above) don't. What gives?

Oil such as linseed has some great benefits in limewash:

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  • Improves adhesion
  • Slows drying, which reduces cracking
  • Makes the finish more waterproof

There are also some downsides to adding oil:

  • Reduces breathability
  • Trap moisture

Because breathability is one of the major advantages of limewash (vs., for instance, latex paint), we don't love adding oil to our limewash recipe.

Oil also has a tendency to trap moister between it and the bark, potentially causing issues.

If you think your trees will benefit from adding oil, however, such as in particularly wet climates, mix in 1tsp of raw linseed oil into the above recipe.


That's all for now, thanks for reading!

If you have any questions, comments, or would like to connect with fellow gardeners, head on over to the forum and post there.