In the fall, the bucks are more likely to damage trees because they are heading into mating season. The bucks know there will be fights over the females. To prepare, they use the trunks of trees as ...

Whichever trunk protection you use, start it as low as you can get it (at least under the mulch) and go up to at least 4 feet on the trunk.

Painting is better If tree trunk protection is needed against sunscald on thin-barked trees such as ash, birch, linden, red oak or maple, there is a much better way to go.

What happens, in short, is that bark on the southwest side of the trunk is exposed to afternoon sun, and the sap gets warm enough that it starts moving in the tree. Normally this is fine, except ...