How to cover heat-loving plants for the winter? We cover the plants for the winter.

What is the best way to cover plants? Opinions differ, and discussions sometimes become very serious.

In our region, even frost-resistant crops have a hard time surviving the winter. What's the problem? Why do plants that are tolerant at -40°C die in winter? Many people rush to cover them early in the fall, but in the spring, on the contrary, they open them too late. So plants die not from frost, but from sudden changes in temperature and high humidity under the shelter itself, from damping out and getting wet.
Unstable weather with sudden temperature changes and excess moisture provokes mechanical damage (tissue rupture), rotting of the root system, etc. Snow itself is good, but not sufficient material for shelter.

Tolerant ground cover crops overwinter well under it; for the rest, additional protection methods must be used. In addition, in our region, severe frosts can often begin in November, and snow can fall after the New Year. In such winters with little snow, it is almost impossible to preserve heat-loving crops without additional shelter. Which material to choose?

Old methods of hiding

Hilling up with earth

An old and time-tested method is suitable for covering low-growing plants. Moisture quickly drains from a plant covered with soil, but such mulch freezes in winter. Therefore, it is better to use something other than ordinary garden soil, but a mixture of peat and humus that is lighter in structure. In addition, when hilling, you cannot take the soil around the bush, thereby exposing the roots of the plant.

Spruce and pine spruce branches

It is traditionally used on farms where there is a forest nearby. Plants covered with it are protected from cold winds, sleet and freezing rain. It does not increase the frost resistance of the plants themselves, but a favorable air space with good ventilation is created under it. A light cover made of spruce branches also saves plants from the scorching rays of spring.

fallen leaves

A good covering material that reliably protects from the first snowless cold and, by overheating, helps to increase soil fertility. But not all foliage can be used for winter shelter. Oak is best; you can also use maple, birch or chestnut foliage. Foliage fruit trees do not use. Only dry foliage is suitable for shelter. Experienced gardeners It is recommended to collect it in mesh bags and place it in beds. With the help of such “pillows”, improvised houses for plants are obtained. However, it is in the foliage that mice like to hibernate, so be sure to place poisoned baits.

Straw or dried plant stems

They are similar in action to foliage; they cover perennial heat-loving crops and winter crops. As in the case of foliage, soaking leads to caking of the material, disruption of the air permeability of the shelter and, as a result, the risk of disease and death of plants.

Therefore, a film or other waterproof material (roofing paper) is placed on top of shelters made of foliage or straw, leaving air access from below.
Or they tie straw in bunches and make special mats, arranging shelters like a hut.

Modern methods of shelter

IN last years are gaining more and more popularity modern materials for covering plants. You don’t need to go to the forest to get them, they are not that expensive and are suitable for reusable use. But they also need to be handled correctly.

Sackcloth

This is a fairly strong and rigid fabric, made of linen or jute material. It does not contain impurities or additives, so it can be buried in the ground without worrying about the consequences. They tie the trunks of young trees with burlap, shade conifers from spring burns, cover roses, large leaf hydrangeas and other heat-loving crops.

However, natural burlap not only allows moisture to pass through, but also absorbs it. Under damp burlap during a thaw, a favorable environment is created for the development of rot and mold, and in frost it can turn into a hard, icy shell.

Therefore, when insulating plants with burlap, try to leave an air gap between the plant and the fabric.

You cannot use old bags of potatoes and other vegetables for shelter without treating them with fungicides. For winter shelter and spring shading, buy clean burlap in rolls.

Non-woven polypropylene covering material (lutrasil, spunbond, geotex and others)

The material allows air, moisture and light to pass through. Provides plant protection from both overheating and hypothermia. Can be used to cover the soil or be used for covering structures frame structures. Material with a density of 30 g/m2 is able to protect plants in frosts down to -7 °C, material with a density of 60 g/m2 can withstand strong winds and frosts down to -9 °C. In addition, non-woven material is well protected from pecking by birds, since its fibers are quite resistant to deformation.

In recent years, ready-made reusable covers made of spunbond have been gaining popularity. They are quite durable and do not contain harmful impurities. For agricultural purposes, UV-stabilized spunbond or Agrospanbond is used. This cover protects plants from exposure low temperatures, fading in the sun, as well as from rodents and insects, resistant to external influences environment, does not impede air exchange.

Ready-made greenhouses are produced to cover roses for the winter.: a cover made of non-woven covering material is quickly put on a frame made of polypropylene tubes, installed above the plant.

EXPERT OPINION
Ksenia Ishevskaya, agronomist at the Nursery Store company
Cover plants for the winter middle lane usually in late October - early November. After the first frost, it is necessary to cut off the entire above-ground part of perennials. herbaceous plants to a height of 5-10 cm. Most perennials respond well to hilling the base of the bushes with humus or soil, which provides additional protection for the roots. Non-woven materials (lutrasil, spunbond, etc.) with a density of 40-60 g/m2 are suitable for covering the upper part of plants, white or light shades other flowers, so as not to cause overheating of covered plants in early spring.
To cover the trunks of young fruit tree seedlings, it is convenient to use cut-bandages made of non-woven material: the trunk is tightly wrapped with them up to the skeletal branches. This not only protects them from frost, but also becomes an obstacle for mice and hares. To cover plants such as hydrangea, young conifers, and rhododendons, it is convenient to use cover-covers made of non-woven material, secured at the bottom and top with special laces.
The cover is put on the plant and tightened. During winter thaws, such shelters must be ventilated to avoid wetting and dampening of the root collar of plants.
Coniferous plants big size in November it is necessary to protect against early spring sunburn. To do this, the crown is loosely tied with non-woven light material with a density of 30-40 g/m2, leaving holes. In spring, the shelter is removed when the average daily air temperature remains stable at +1...+3 °C, usually in April.

It's getting colder outside, people are putting on warm jackets. It's time to protect your plants from frost in the garden! Why is it important to know how to properly protect plants from the cold? In this article we will tell you which plants need to be protected from frost, and when is the best time to do this, so that they cope well with cold winds and low temperatures. In the photo you can see how winter covering can look aesthetically pleasing and even, to some extent, provide a decorative effect!

Covering plants for the winter allows the most sensitive species of trees and shrubs to overwinter. Sometimes you can come across opinions that sheltering from frost is an unnecessary procedure, and sometimes even harmful. This assumption probably arises due to mistakes that can be made when protecting plants from frost with unsuitable materials or if work is carried out at the wrong time. When and how to cover plants for the winter correctly?

In winter, frozen soil prevents the plant from consuming sufficient quantity water, while the cold wind enhances the effect of the cold, as a result the plant is exposed to freezing and drying out. This is especially dangerous for evergreen crops. To protect against frost, it is very important to know at what temperature it is optimal to cover plants, and for which crops which type of covering is best. Let's look at these questions in more detail.

What plants require protection from frost?

• evergreens, for example, rhododendron, Japanese cherry, laurel;
• roses, for which you should make a mound of soil or compost (we try to avoid peat);
• Magnolias, honeysuckle, and garden hydrangeas are also covered;
• Don't forget about grass, and especially Japanese sedge.

How to protect ornamental grasses?

After the ornamental grasses fade in the fall and the first frosts begin, it is worth thinking about how to ensure their wintering. Many species require additional shelter. It is worth noting that in the first year, almost all newly planted ornamental grasses require protection from frost.

How to tie ornamental grasses?

As soon as we see that the stems and leaves of ornamental grasses begin to wither, we should begin preparing them for the cold. It is best to choose a day for this event that is dry and sunny weather, if possible. On such a day, grass leaves are easier to tie into bunches. If you are sure that the stems of ornamental grasses are dry, you can proceed to tying them. Some sheaves need to be tied in two or three places to form correct form ligaments Proper bunching is very important because during windy weather and on frosty days, some crops lose their leaves, as often happens, for example, with the leaves of the giant Miscanthus.

In order to tie the leaves of ornamental grasses, it is best to use jute or packaging twine (it can also be a simple cord). It is strong and holds the tied stems well, which under their own pressure on windy days can break a weak knot.

Tying ornamental grasses should be double, as in the photo. It is important not to cut off wilted leaves in the fall as they provide additional frost protection.

Bark, peat or spruce branches?

If frost persists for more than three days, it is advisable to protect ornamental grasses with a mound of bark. It is important not to do this too early because the stems can become steamed and rot, which can negatively impact their health and survival during the winter.

Typically pine bark or dry horticultural peat is used. You should scatter them around the grass and form a small hill that reliably protects the root system.

A mound of pine bark at the roots of grasses

Branches and agrofibre

Evergreen ornamental grasses (for example, Japanese sedge or fescue) should additionally be covered with spruce branches for the winter, that is, with branches coniferous trees or agrofibre. For shelter, you can only use suitable white agrofibre. Before using this material, evergreen grasses must be tied, but not too tightly, then covered with agrofibre and tied again so that snow does not penetrate from above.

Straw

Another material that will help protect ornamental grasses for the winter is straw mats. The mats are placed around the sheaf and carefully tied. To protect against frost, you should avoid using colorless film, bags or pine bark bags!

Ornamental grasses, even tied in bunches, will beautifully decorate any garden. Sprinkled with snow, they create a mysterious atmosphere in the garden.

Protecting potted plants

Plants grown in pots also require winter protection. They overwinter best in a bright, cool place at a temperature of 5 °C. When it is not possible to move the pots into the room, you can bury them in the ground, preferably in a windless place. If this is not possible, at least very simple protection against low temperatures should be provided. Namely, it is necessary to ensure that the pots do not stand directly on concrete or stone surface. To do this, you can place a layer of foam plastic about 10 cm thick under them, which insulates the pots from concrete or stone. This arrangement will prevent the roots from freezing.

Review of materials

Permeable materials should be used to protect plants from frost. Do not use film or other waterproof and airtight materials for covering, as this leads to overheating of the plants, loss of hardening, and subsequent freezing. Lack of ventilation also leads to the development of fungal diseases, so it is worth taking care of some air access.

For winter shelter you can use:

• white agrofibre 50 g/m² thick, with which the plant is wrapped two or three times;
• needles and spruce branches (branches) of coniferous trees;
• shading nets;
• straw mats;
• in some cases horticultural peat;
• leaves that fall from trees in autumn.

White agrofibre tied with decorative tape

Photo. Use of agrofibre and pine bark. We tie the entire bush with white agrofibre and tie it with a decorative ribbon, and insulate the roots with a mound of pine bark.

Photo. Roses covered with straw

In winter, plants risk losing a lot of water because they are unable to get enough water through their root systems if the soil is very frozen. Therefore, it is advisable to mulch around the plants, thereby protecting them from soil freezing. You can make a mound of earth, compost or bark to a height of 20-30 cm right at the base of the bush.

Frost-sensitive perennials and small shrubs can be covered with spruce branches (branches of coniferous trees). You can also add here decorative elements for improvement aesthetic effect. Such compositions often become not only effective measure protected, but also a real decoration of a sleeping winter garden.

Evergreen deciduous and coniferous species require shelter when young, especially from frosty, dry winds and sun, which creates large temperature differences between day and night, often occurring in February-March. To do this, you can use coniferous tree branches, agrofibre, straw or corrugated cardboard.

Film or other material impermeable to air is not suitable for coating, as it promotes the development of fungal diseases. Covering is carried out after light frosts appear - in November - December, depending on the climate zone.

Tall bushes (such as magnolias) are less resistant to frost and require shelter, especially when they are young. Covering an entire bush more than 1 m in height is quite troublesome. Therefore, it is advisable to protect at least the base of the bush 30 cm in height. If the upper part of the bush freezes during a harsh winter, the base with dormant buds will survive the frost without damage and will produce new shoots that can quickly restore the bush. Suitable for this purpose:

• sawdust;
• bark;
• the soil;
• mulch (fallen leaves).

Rose care

In order to cover roses for the winter, the best and most cheap way- this is the use of earth, which is raked into mounds and then covered with branches, making a mound 20-30 cm high. When raking mounds, care should be taken not to expose or damage the roots. Therefore, in the place where we take the soil for the mounds, it is recommended to scatter well-decomposed manure of large cattle, which in the spring we cover with earth taken from the mounds. But you can’t use manure for the mounds themselves!

Good to know! Low rose bushes can be bent to the ground and a mound of earth can be poured on top to protect them from frost.

To protect the roses on the trunk from frost, you need to tie the bowl and carefully tilt it towards the ground, then you should strengthen it with sticks so that it does not straighten out. After this, the bowl (the most sensitive to frost) is covered with a mound of earth, compost, bark or sawdust. The thickness of the mound should be about 20 cm. For complete guarantee, you can also cover the stem.

Deadlines

When and at what temperature should plants be covered? The period when plants should be covered depends on the climate of a particular area; it occurs when the first frosts begin, on average - mid-November. Plants should not be covered too early because winter cover will raise the soil temperature, which can cause the plants to grow further, delaying their entry into winter dormancy. In this case, the plants may die from rotting. Therefore, shelter should be made only when regular frosts have occurred and the soil has frozen to a depth of 3-4 cm.

Everything that we need for work, for example, agrofibre, protective caps and other materials, should be prepared in advance so that everything is ready and we do not miss the right moment.

Many species and varieties of plants are not resistant to frost and require shelter. There are many methods of protection; it is only important to choose the most suitable one depending on the type of planting. In addition to agrotextiles, you can also use other materials and raw materials available in the garden: straw, dry leaves, sawdust, branches coniferous species, straw mats and bark will be suitable for covering against the cold.

It is also important not to miss the onset of frost, and at the same time not to cover the plantings too early, so that they do not enter the growing season and become frozen. This should be done when the first frosts appear, and upper layer the soil freezes. In November, the weather sometimes plays tricks and, despite a few cooler days, it can also surprise you with warm and sunny days. Therefore, it is important to wait until the temperature (during the day) is around -5 degrees for several days in a row.

Need special care, since winter is just around the corner and there are fewer and fewer warm days suitable for work. On plot of land all living things seem to freeze in anticipation of extraordinary metamorphoses. Slowing down life processes, plants are doing their best to prepare for the most unfavorable time of the year. But not all plants manage to fully enter the hibernation season and successfully endure it without human help. Everything appears on our sites every year more types and varieties native to warmer climatic zones. Often, these are already well-acclimatized hybrids, capable of more or less easily adapting to harsh weather conditions, although, when compared with the local flora, these plants are noticeably inferior to them in terms of endurance.

In central Russia, winters reach minus thirty, so even some frost-resistant plants, especially at an early age, shelter may be needed for the winter. Particularly at risk of death in winter period trees and shrubs, the ground part of which is not covered with protective coverings during hibernation insulating materials and snow. Blown from all sides by a frosty wind, the branches can receive local frostbite, the worst of which is freezing and death of the buds.

Why do plants need shelter for the winter?

❶ The root system can freeze during frosts of minus 10 degrees, lasting more than 5 days in the absence of snow cover. First of all, this applies to those perennials that require mandatory shelter. Fruit seedlings and coniferous trees planted this year may also die for this reason.

❷ During winter thaws and further severe frost, frost cracks may form on tree trunks. In order to prevent this unpleasant phenomenon, the trunks are covered with garden whitewash or covered with spruce branches.

❸ Coniferous trees: thuja, juniper, spruce continue to evaporate moisture even in winter time. But root system in winter it is not able to provide the plant with water. In addition, solar activity increases noticeably from February, thereby contributing to the occurrence of burns. Adult plants adapt to such influences, and young trees under 5 years of age need shelter from the sun at this time.

❹ Rodents have little food left in winter, so they can gnaw on the bark of fruit trees.

Preparing plants for wintering

In addition to covering the plants, it is advisable to comprehensively prepare them for the winter. To do this, first of all, stop feeding plants with fertilizers containing nitrogen from the second half of August. Nitrogen promotes rapid growth of shoots, which is of no use to plants in winter. On the contrary, young shoots should have time to become covered with bark. At this time, the plants are fed with fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus - these elements contribute to successful wintering. You can do both root and foliar feeding. Before the onset of stable frosts, coniferous plants need to be watered well.

Hilling (mulching) them with dry peat or humus will be a good help for wintering fruit trees and shrubs. In winter this will help better protection root system, and in the spring there will be less stagnation of melt water that will flow from such a hill. In addition, in the spring the plants will receive additional fertilizer.

Plants with long flexible stems: climbing roses, grapes, clematis are bent to the ground and secured with wire pins. Dry soil is poured on top. Ordinary roses are pruned, leaving up to 6 buds, the leaves are removed and covered with peat or dry soil.

Coniferous spruce branches
for covering plants

Coniferous spruce branches retain snow well, thereby retaining heat. In addition, mice try to avoid it. If there is little snow, then spruce branches will be poor protection from the cold. In this case, it is necessary to throw snow onto such a shelter. Another one important detail in the use of spruce and pine spruce branches - it must be chosen according to its appearance healthy trees to avoid introducing diseases and pests into your area. It should also be noted that in the forest spruce branches can be collected (according to forest legislation) only from cut down trees. Therefore, if you have coniferous trees growing on your site, then it is better to collect spruce branches from them.

Fallen leaves to cover plants

Fallen leaves are the most accessible covering material. It can be used to cover the tree trunks of seedlings and bushes. The disadvantages of using fruit tree foliage is that it decomposes quickly, so there may not be enough to last through the winter. Moreover, during thaws, such a layer of leaves does not allow air to pass through well, which contributes to damping off of the plants. If such material is used as a shelter, then it is best to take oak or birch foliage - it will last all winter.

The foliage must be dry. Therefore, it is prepared on a sunny day and stored in a dry place.

So that the foliage remains long time dry, it is covered on top with a breathable material, for example, agrofibre, put on a ready-made frame or made independently.

Sawdust for covering plants

Sawdust is mainly used for mulching plants. To cover the plants themselves, it is necessary to use dry sawdust, which cannot be preserved in this quality throughout the winter. To prevent sawdust from getting wet, they are insulated with polyethylene. But with this method there is a risk of damping off.

Materials for covering plants

Artificial materials are divided into non-woven materials specially produced for agricultural work: agrofibre, agrotex, lutrasil, etc. and various improvised materials, such as burlap. Main property nonwovens- they release moisture outside, preventing it from penetrating from the outside. Another advantage of such materials is that they allow ultra-violet rays inside. This property ensures that fully covered plants, such as roses, do not completely get used to the sun and, accordingly, in the spring, after removing the cover, they are less likely to get sunburn. But for the same reason such materials cannot be used for protection coniferous plants from burns.

To protect conifers from the sun, from about February, it is better to use burlap, jute material or other dense light fabric that blocks ultraviolet radiation. It is important here that the plant breathes under such material.

The ideal option for protecting conifers from the sun is the use of special barriers (screens) that shade the plants only during the most active sun during the day. Jute material is well suited for protecting the root system from cold and tree trunks from rodents. It is sold almost ready for use.

When to cover plants for the winter

Plants are directly covered from the second half of November or when the air temperature does not rise above minus 5 degrees for several days. Minus 5 is an acceptable temperature for plants, especially if their roots are covered. Moreover, keeping plants for several days without shelter at this temperature helps to harden them. Conifers are protected from the sun in the second half of winter, when the sun begins to get hot.

From about the second half of March, when the snow is melting and the air temperature steadily exceeds zero, the shelter must be gradually removed. If the shelter is not removed in time, the plant will begin to rot. Cover from sunburn is removed from the trunks of coniferous trees after the snow has melted. Snow, reflecting ultraviolet rays, enhances their effect on trees.

The plant has finished, the time for frost has come, and now you need to protect the boxwood from them. The first stage of preparation The key to a successful wintering of boxwood is moisture-recharging watering.

After all, one of the main problems of wintering any plant is withering frost.

When moisture evaporates from the stems under the influence of frost, they immediately freeze. That's why it's so important before winter cold properly saturate the living tissues of boxwood with water.

After watering, according to the rules for caring for boxwood for the winter, the surface must be mulched with peat or rotted pine needles.

The mulch layer should be 5-8 cm high. Don't pour it right to the base bush, step back 2-3 centimeters to ensure air access to the roots.

Methods for covering shrubs

Boxwood easily tolerates winter. But provided that it is snowy.

Snow provides natural cover and helps the bushes to protect themselves naturally.

An important condition for the successful survival of boxwood in winter is also the right landing site.

For this purpose, boxwood is planted in the shade, under large plants, or next to buildings in the northeast and northwest of them.

The essence of this is that open areas boxwood during the thaw, warmed by the sun, may begin to grow at an unfavorable time. Foliage that awakens at the wrong time will certainly suffer at the first frost. That’s why boxwood needs to be covered for the winter.

In the shade, even during warming, the snow remains, and the plant will not wake up.

Sheltering boxwood for the winter consists of the following steps:

1. Garter bushes.

   It is necessary for standard plants. First, you need to build a support for the bush, especially if the bush is tall enough.
   If this is not done, it may break under the weight of snow. The base of the bush is tied to the support with a rope.

   Plants are carefully tied with rope in groups.

Shelter.

To protect against frost, a layer of covering material is thrown over the bushes, and if severe frosts are predicted, several layers are needed.

You can directly wrap the covering material around the bushes. But if possible, it is more advisable to build frames. You can make them from wire placed crosswise over the bush. This frame is covered with material and fixed at the bottom with a heavy weight or sprinkled with earth.

The frame must be made of durable materials so as not to bend under the weight of snow and crush the bush.
For tall specimens, it is possible to use U-shaped reinforcements installed crosswise above the bush.

Don't cover the boxwood plastic film. Due to the fact that it does not allow air to pass through, the bush under it will dry out.

Before the onset of persistent frosts one edge of the material must be raised so that air can flow to the bushes.

It is only possible to finally fix all the material when the temperature reaches minus 10 degrees. If you do this earlier, then during thaws the bushes may be supported.

For boxwood used as hedges, it is more convenient build shelters from spruce branches. The branches are tied together in several pieces and covered with borders in the form of a hut.

When enough snow has fallen, throw it over the spruce branches cover. This will create an air cushion, and heat and moisture will remain inside the bushes.

If boxwood bushes grow on your site next to roses, you can make a common frame shelter for them.

To provide air access under the shelter, tuck it under the material in several layers piece flexible pipe . Bend the end protruding outwards upward and fix it at a small height.

Air through this vent will do, and frost will not penetrate.

You can visually familiarize yourself with the preparation of boxwood for winter in this video:

Removing protection

We’ve figured out how to cover boxwood for the winter, but what to do next?

With the onset of warm spring days, most gardeners rush to immediately free the plants from their shelters. There's no need to rush doing so. If you open the boxwood before the snow has completely melted and the ground has warmed up even a little, this can harm the bush.

Leaves and stems under the spring sun will begin to actively evaporate moisture, and the roots at this time cannot yet work properly. As a result, the above-ground part will dry out, and the plant may die.

You need to gradually accustom the shrub to the sun. It is necessary to open it for the first time on a cloudy day. So that the bright sun does not burn the foliage. In the first week, if the sun is shining brightly, covering material is thrown over the bushes during the day.

Only when the boxwood gradually gets used to it and the main snow cover has melted can you untie the ropes securing the branches.

Do not rush to prune the bush immediately after removing the cover; let it fully wake up and begin to grow.

By observing all these conditions and knowing exactly whether boxwood needs to be covered for the winter, you will help the bushes survive harsh winter conditions, and your plants will delight you with their beauty for more than one season.

Sheltering plants for the winter is a special ritual that must be approached with all responsibility. Even knowing the basic rules for preparing plants for cold weather, snowfalls and unexpected thaws, you cannot do without consulting an experienced dendrologist.

The optimal period for covering plants for the winter occurs when the air temperature no longer rises above -5°C and does not fall below -10°C. This period begins in the second ten days of November.

First you need to decide which plants need shelter and what materials will be needed for this. Depending on the growth form and thermophilicity of plants, they use coniferous spruce branches, fallen leaves, pine litter, sawdust, burlap, agrofibre and others.

First of all, young plants of the current year, heat-loving perennials and exotics are covered. Special attention should be given to pets that were purchased and planted in the autumn.

Coniferous spruce branches are used as a material for covering plants for the winter only in cases where protection from cold winds, the adhesion of wet snow and the formation of an ice crust is needed. Coniferous branches contribute to the accumulation of snow and under their protection they overwinter well, holly, garden hibiscus, relatively frost-resistant varieties roses and grapes, irises, tulip and daffodil bulbs. Spruce branches cannot protect especially heat-loving sissies from severe frosts.

The most affordable and budget material for covering plants for the winter - this is foliage. Fallen dry leaves are covered low growing plants, but in this case there is a risk of drying out those whom we are trying to save. During thaws, under a dense and moist cover, moisture does not evaporate, the foliage undergoes a process of decomposition and especially delicate pets rot.

Snow can also serve as shelter for plants for the winter. But you can’t rely on this method alone.

Junipers, thujas, and cypress trees as evergreens are designed to decorate the garden with green colors even in winter. But their columnar shapes require individual preparations for successful wintering. To do this, it will be enough to carefully press the branches to the trunk and, without pinching them, tie them in a spiral with a rope. This will allow the bushes to withstand the accumulation of wet snow and not lose their decorative shape in the future.

You also need to consider ways to protect evergreens from sunburn. To do this, you need to stock up in advance with special shade shields, burlap or artificial materials for covering plants - Agrotex, agrofibre, etc. Direct impact sunlight, enhanced by reflection from the snow, burns the needles, so on sunny days they put up shields or wrap the crowns of plants in burlap.

Canopies made from wicker can also be used to cover plants that are susceptible to sunburn. To use them to protect plants from the cold, you need to pour pine litter under the cap or additionally cover it with spruce branches on top.

Plants with flexible branches, vines, climbing plants (climbing roses, grapes, clematis) bend to the ground. The top is covered with leaves, spruce branches and other materials. To ensure that the shelter lasts all winter, the structure is lightly sprinkled with soil.

The most painstaking process is the process of covering plants with fragile branches (hibiscus, maple). For this purpose, special frames are built. It is better to use wooden rods or stakes as material for the frame. The frame is placed around the plant in such a way as not to damage or break the branches. Spreading bushes are first carefully tied, then wrapped in burlap or covered with spruce branches. The entire structure also needs to be tied.

Preparing plants for winter is a very painstaking task, but dead exotics and yellow needles on evergreen favorites are unlikely to please anyone.

Natalya Vysotskaya, candidate s. -X. Sci.

With questions and comments on this article (and not only), you can contact Natalya directly on our website.

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