Materials For Winter Shelter Of Plants. Part 2

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

We continue to prepare for the onset of cold weather and talk about the available covering materials for plants in our garden

Brushwood

Covering with brushwood protects against snow blowing, promotes air exchange, but it is useless with a lack of snow, since it does not retain heat. Virtually no advantages over other materials. Brushwood is readily available, but not popular due to the laboriousness of collection and spring disposal.

Straw

With the ability to use straw, you can get an almost ideal option for winter shelter. Straw has all the properties to prevent perennials from freezing, but requires additional protection from moisture. Another disadvantage is that it attracts rodents that can damage the plant. In the spring, early removal is required, as it makes it difficult to warm up the earth, delays the growing season.

Dry plant stems

Dry stems of plants are not much different from the "covering ability" of straw. Suitable for collection are field and ornamental grasses, fern, aerial part of Jerusalem artichoke. It is important to choose a material that is free of mold and rot. The absence of seeds will prevent unwanted weed shoots from springing up.

Sackcloth

Before the advent of synthetic covering fabrics, burlap was popular. Its relevance is high enough today. It is used to cover conifers, tie the trunks of young seedlings, it saves the bark from the spring ultraviolet radiation, preserves the crowns of evergreens. As a covering material, burlap should be made of natural coarse fiber; it is unacceptable to use synthetic options or with a polyethylene lining. A significant drawback of burlap is its ability to absorb and retain moisture. This quality provokes the formation of ice on frosty days and a violation of air exchange, in a thaw it leads to the formation of diaper rash in the shoots. Raw burlap is a breeding ground for mold and rot, which can lead to unwanted plant death. Old bags that have held vegetables can contain infectious bacteria.

Sawdust

Sawdust gives warmth to the roots. They mulch the soil, avoiding falling asleep on the stem. They go well with burlap designs. For use, products of chipboard processing, glue bases are excluded. Disadvantages: sawdust cakes quickly, requires insulation from rain, moisture, increases the acidity of the earth, thaws for a long time in spring. If the sawdust is wet, then it cakes and melts, which negatively affects the shoots of plants. In spring, sawdust should be removed earlier, otherwise they will delay the heating of the soil.

Peat

Peat, being a natural material, is perfect for warming the soil, effective in severe frosts. It is used in beds with strawberries, winter onions, garlic. Peat is a good soil and plant protector, but still with certain reservations.

Please note: peat is undesirable for perennials and a number of plants that are demanding on the composition of the soil, as it increases their acidity.

Building materials and packaging

For winter shelter, there are ways to use building materials and containers. You can use almost everything that is on the farm, except for roofing material: cuttings of old pipes, boxes, boards, pieces of slate, wooden boxes, roofing material.

These materials eliminate direct contact with the insulation, help to build a frame for combined structures using burlap, film, spruce branches. It is not recommended to use building materials containing chemical compounds and resins, for example, fiber-cement boards, fiberboard, drywall. You should not take slate to shelter fruit and berry crops.

Summing up, it becomes clear that there is no ideal option for a winter shelter for plants, but with some knowledge, you can save garden and ornamental plants from frost, sunburn and rodents.