The autumn harvest has come to an end, but there is still a lot of work left in the garden, including the preparation of heat-loving crops for the winter. Increasingly, exotic plants can be found in gardens and vegetable gardens. The tendency to cultivate such crops is due to the availability, a huge selection of seeds, and modern equipment. Despite the fact that many species from warm, exotic countries have hybrids adapted for our climate, winter protection for such crops is still necessary. Today we will analyze in detail how to properly insulate fruit trees, shrubs, flowers for the winter.
Why cover?
The purpose of sheltering trees, etc. for the winter, is not only to protect plants from extreme cold, but by sheltering crops for the winter, you provide protection from re-warming in the autumn-winter period. It happens that after stable frosts there is a sudden thaw, after warming, frosts again come, but the bark, the upper layer of wood has thawed. With repeated freezing, as a result, cracks appear, which in turn will lead to disease of the culture and even death.
The shelter will protect the planting from rodents, will help the plants that are planted in the fall to take root, will protect from burns, since ultraviolet light reflected from the snow can cause it. Also, the event is directed against weathering, the so-called winter drought.
Preparing the garden for wintering
Before preparing, you need to clarify which plants need to be covered and with what. Not every insulation works the same way. It is more expedient to prepare the garden for the dormant period ahead of time, they begin to prepare the trees from the middle of summer. This consists in the fact that they stop making nitrogen fertilizing, since they provoke the active growth of root shoots and shoots. Uncontrolled vegetation will inevitably weaken the culture. From the second half of August, fertilize (if necessary) exclusively with potash and phosphorus additives, ash.
Fall watering is very important. Before wintering, the soil must be sufficiently moistened, trees (especially conifers) continue to evaporate moisture from the cells almost until midwinter, dry soil will aggravate the situation, the tree can simply dry out. It is also vital (for the plants) to prune. As a rule, it is sanitary, but there are crops for which it is necessary to prune the forming crown in the autumn period.
In addition to fruit trees, flowers and shrubs need to be prepared for the winter, they also need sanitization. Clear flower beds, mixborders, rockeries and other flower beds from dead vegetation, weeds and their roots, and other blockages. This also applies to berries. Do not forget about proper soil preparation. It is necessary to dig up, disinfect from fungi and pests, nourish.
When to start insulating?
In warm climatic zones, as a rule, they shelter not so much from the cold as to protect against rodents (rabbits, hares, vole mice, etc.). In regions with little snow, but warm to save snow. Warming is required only for tropical, subtropical plants, for which even light frosts are fatal.
In regions with a temperate climate, the event begins in the second decade of October, during a long autumn, the date is postponed to a later time. Be that as it may, the shelter is made after the daytime temperatures cease to rise above -10-15oC. A procedure mainly aimed at protecting against frost, burns, weathering, and rodents.
In the regions of the north, shelter begins during a period of stable cold weather, the start time of warming can be different, here they are also guided by the air temperature, similar to the previous option.
In any case, it is impossible to cover the plantings before the onset of real frost. The insulation is removed only when the night temperature rises to at least + 5oC, usually mid-March to the end of April. A sharp change in temperature inside the trunk will damage the bark and the top layer of the wood. As a result, pests can settle in cracks, fungal diseases, viruses can form
It is also not worth delaying the removal of heaters, since the culture can rot. As a rule, such trees die, especially for young plants.
Shelter rules for the winter
It is necessary to construct insulation in such a way that air circulates in it. A dense, airtight coating will provoke the growth of fungi (mold, late blight, etc.). When protecting trees with a net, wooden structures, keep in mind that the lower branches should not touch such structures.
The procedure is carried out in several stages, accustoming the plant to a lack of light, in the future, its complete absence. A tree should be absolutely closed only when it is completely immersed in a state of rest.
Warming of roots by means of hilling
In areas with a sharply continental, contrasting climate, the most common and most expedient way of saving the root system is by hilling. This procedure is carried out on perennial flowering crops, young trees, plants with a superficial root net. The activity stabilizes the temperature in the root zone, thereby saving the buds in the near-earth part of the tree.
Hilling is carried out after the onset of cold weather, when the earth grasps for a couple of centimeters with a frosty crust. Starting an event earlier, there is a risk of dehydration of the surface layer of the soil, the trunk in the lower part will begin to become covered with condensate (dew) from ground evaporation, which will lead to excessive moisture in the bark and penetration of water into micropores. When frozen overnight, moisture expands, thereby damaging the plant.
They spud the root collar, the near-stem part of the tree. They shovel the earth into a mound with a height of ten centimeters or more, it all depends on the height of the trunk. Be careful and careful not to damage the roots. If the soil is not enough, then take part of the land from the garden. With the onset of heat, the embankment is removed in layers as the earth warms up.
In addition to fruit trees, garden flowers are also spud. These types include:
- Tea, hybrid roses;
- Chrysanthemums;
- Eremurus and other thermophilic individuals;
- Mulch.
Covering garden plants with mulching material is also important. This is necessary primarily for garden flowers, in which the roots are located superficially.
It is worth noting that when using this method of warming the roots, it makes no sense to dig up and huddle the earth around the culture, since mulch will act in this capacity. Also take into account that not every material is suitable in this capacity, for example, oak leaves, like walnut leaves, are unacceptable, refrain from mulching with needles, fresh sawdust, shavings. Such substances will oxidize the soil, and most garden plants prefer a neutral or slightly alkaline environment.
The following components are ideal for mulching:
- Horse peat
- Autumn leaf compost (chlorophyll free).
- Fine bark.
- The foliage of fruit and park trees - poplar, birch, apple, chestnut, elm, maple and similar trees.
- Sawdust at the stage of decay, rotted, semi-rotten.
- Humus will be the most ideal solution.
Before mulching, make a sandy, earth side around the trunk with a diameter of one meter and a height of fifteen centimeters. Then fill it with mulch. The covering must not come into direct contact with the tree trunk. Around it (the trunk), pour a pile of sand with a height of twenty centimeters, the sand should be dry. This is due to the fact that wet mulch, in contact with the bark, can cause the processes of decay, the formation of mold. Harmful insects, their larvae and eggs, can also settle in this part of the shelter for the winter.
There is another important aspect - autumn rains, melting snow during thaws will inevitably lead to wetting of the mulch layer. Instead of protecting the planting from frost, the mulch will turn into a frozen lump and only harm the culture. In this regard, take care of a waterproof coating. The edges of the material need to be pressed down with stones, dig in with earth from gusts of wind.
Aerial artificial shelters
In addition to natural materials with which lawns, flower beds, and other garden plants are insulated, you can use more advanced, but expensive shelters. The agricultural market offers a ton of similar products. Among the variety of names, one can especially highlight - jute, agricultural fiber (canvas), agrotex, spunbond, lutrasil. The budget option is burlap, tarpaulin.
There are several ways of air shelter:
- 1 Free swaddling of plants.
- 2 Application of ready-made covers.
- 3 Dry air shelter.
- 4 Bent to the ground.
The first two options are used when insulating young trees, both conifers and decorative and fruit trees. Flowering shrubs, thermophilic berry crops are also insulated by free swaddling and the use of ready-made covers. The method consists in the construction of a hut-type shelter, wrapping with heat-insulating materials. The point of such a procedure is to block the early awakening of culture. From the end of February, active solar radiation begins, in trees, under its influence, photosynthesis is activated, in turn, the process implies moisture consumption, which is impossible at this time. The result of this effect will be the drying of the crown. Among other things, the air shelter will protect the young from sunburn and weathering.
In the regions of the north, with a sharply continental climate, a frame (air-dry) shelter is being built. A conical, triangular, cubic or rounded frame is being built. The frame can be made of any material at hand, with the exception of iron. It must be understood that drifts formed during the winter, gusts of wind can destroy the structure, so the strength must be consistent.
- tarpaulin;
- spruce branches;
- burlap;
- old blankets;
- rags;
- bundles (sheaves) of straw and so on.
The second layer is covered with a waterproof, windproof material. Both cellophane and roofing felt (roofing felt) are suitable between the layers, the presence of an air cushion is required!
- Weigela.
- Wisteria.
- Hydrangea.
- Blackberry.
- Honeysuckle.
- Clematis.
- Codonopsis.
- Lemongrass.
- Raspberries.
- Some varieties of currants.
- Climbing rose.
- Rhododendron.
- European grape varieties.
- Forsythia.
These plants need to be insulated using the bending method. This is far from the entire list of such crops; a list of only the most common plants is presented. Take care of the bedding before curling the fit. The fact is that bent plants should not come into contact with the ground, otherwise the ground moisture will provoke rotting processes, mold and other fungi will form. Then they are covered with any insulation that protects from rain and wind. In winter, shovel snow (provided there is insufficient snow cover).
Here are the basic ways and rules for hiding garden plants for the winter. It may seem to someone that the process is rather laborious and some of the conditions can be ignored. Such an approach is unacceptable, otherwise a good harvest and harvest may not be seen at all.
A flower bed can be beautiful all year round. The basis of its composition is made up of perennials, in winter such plants do not need to be dug up, they live in one place for a long time and are unpretentious in care. There are a lot of them, but not all are especially popular with gardeners.
Pros and cons of wintering perennials
The main advantage of perennials in the garden is their ability to withstand low temperatures in winter, which makes it easier to care for. There is no need to dig out rhizomes and arrange them for storage in winter. With the arrival of autumn, shoots die off in most plants, and the next spring young branches grow from the root again. Some perennials remain green throughout the year. But these are far from all the advantages of wintering plants:
- The need for a transplant arises every 3-4 years, when the bushes grow strongly.
- The abundance of species and varieties allows you to decorate a flower bed, create a rockery or an alpine slide, arrange a mixborder or a pond bank.
- Ease of growing, there is no shortage of planting material, there is no need to tinker with seedlings.
In addition, growing wintering perennials significantly saves time in the spring, when the gardener already has a lot of work.
Perennials have practically no disadvantages, with the exception of especially thermophilic species, which need to be mulched well for the winter. When growing, the gardener may face problems such as diseases and pests. Perennials require preventive measures and spraying throughout the season.
Popular perennial flowers overwintering outdoors
Flowers capable of propagating by bulbs, corms, rhizomes and necessarily wintering in open ground are all perennials. Below is a description of the varieties and photos of the most popular plants in winter. These are short, tall, ground cover flowers that are grown in the sun or in the shade.
Tulip
This flower belongs to bulbous perennials, the most popular among gardeners. In the spring, its buds are one of the first to open and delight with bright colors after winter. Tulips reproduce by daughter bulbs, 2-3 years after planting, a whole nest of ready-made children is formed. At this moment, they need to be planted, otherwise the flowering will be scarce or stop altogether. To do this, after the peduncle withers, the perennial bulbs are dug up, dried and stored in a dark place until autumn. Tulips are planted in late summer. In each region, the timing is different, but 2 weeks should remain before the expected frost. During this time, the bulbs will have time to take root and survive the winter well.
The tulip tolerates winter well, low temperatures are not terrible for it, but for this it must be properly planted. Large bulbs are planted at 3 heights. The larger the planting material, the deeper it is planted. Small children are planted shallowly, but the garden bed is mulched for the winter.
Attention! The main problem when growing tulips is mice. They eat the bulbs in winter, so the planting material needs to be protected.
Today, many varieties of this beautiful perennial have been bred with various petal shapes and sizes. Parrot tulips and peony tulips look especially beautiful.
For owners of small areas, you can choose tulips that grow in a bouquet. One bulb produces a whole bunch of flowers. These varieties are called multiflorous. They can be two-colored, terry or plain.
Anthemis
Anthemis or navel is a rhizome perennial native to Europe. Today the plant has more than 200 varieties. Branched bush, dense, looks good even without flowers. Will grow more than 50 cm. Antemis bloom begins in early summer and lasts until autumn. The flowers are golden yellow with a pleasant aroma. There are a lot of them on one plant.
Antemis is not sheltered for the winter, it resists frost well. Suitable for creating rock gardens, rockeries, borders or as a tapeworm. Perennial fits well into any composition.
Chrysanthemum
It is a rhizome perennial of the Astrov family. It grows everywhere, China is considered its homeland. However, experts say that the garden chrysanthemum appeared from the crossing of small-flowered Indian and Chinese chrysanthemums. The flower is presented in a huge number of varieties and species, the breeding of which continues to this day.
The most popular are low-growing perennial chrysanthemums, which will decorate the sunny side of the garden, the path to the house. The Varvara variety has won particular attention.
Chrysanthemum is grown on any soil, but waterlogged soil will not work. The plant prefers abundant watering, but between them the land should dry out. The perennial responds well to fertilizing, which are best applied in liquid form.
In order for the plant to have a lot of flower baskets, like in a spherical terry variety, the bush must be formed. The shoots are pinched to branch better and bloom profusely.
Tree peony
The tree peony is a beautiful perennial that tolerates winter well, but prefers to grow on the sunny side of the site. The bush is tall, covered with flowers in May, flowering lasts about a month.
Terry varieties of tree peony look especially beautiful on the site, the flowers of which are becoming larger every year.
No less interesting are the perennial varieties with semi-double inflorescences, the wondrous aroma of which spreads throughout the garden.
Warning! The tree peony prefers loose soils with a low groundwater level.
The tree peony is used as a tapeworm or in the company of other plants, such as lavender or calendula. Perennial tolerates winter well.
Clematis
This perennial belongs to the Buttercup family and has more than 300 species that are very different from each other. These can be vines, shrubs, shrubs, or herbaceous plants. Flowers of various colors and petal shapes. They can be large, small, double and simple. All these plants are related by the persistent smell of jasmine, which appears during the flowering of clematis.
Among gardeners, Clematis of the Florida group is especially popular. A striking representative of the Vyvyan Pennell variety. This liana is more than 3.5 m in height, the flowers of which reach 15 cm in diameter. The color of the petals is bright lilac.
Clematis Lanuginosa is no less attractive. Liana reaches a height of 2.5 m, flowers at least 20 cm in diameter. The petals are colored white, blue or pink. It blooms 2 times a year. In the spring, the buds appear on last year's shoots, and in the fall - on the branches of the current year.
A very beautiful variety - Madame le Cultre. The first bloom begins in July, the flowers are white. Average frost resistance, in winter the ends of the shoots can freeze.
Lily
Lily belongs to bulbous perennials. In spring, a stem about 30 cm tall grows from the bulb, at the end of which a bud is formed. Flowers are varied in color and shape, collected in inflorescences or single. The life cycle of one flower is no more than a week.
Asian lilies are distinguished by high frost resistance, they are unpretentious in care, flowering occurs at the beginning of summer. These are beautiful hybrids, the height of which reaches 50 cm. The flower is in the shape of a bowl, it can be double. The diameter of the flower is no more than 20 cm. The popular variety of the Asian lily is Adeline.
American lilies tolerate winter tolerably, but can suffer in severe frosts. There are more than 150 varieties of various colors. They bloom in the middle of summer; they prefer well-moisturized soil. Looks beautiful in the garden.
the Rose
The garden rose prefers planting in the sunniest areas. The soil for cultivation must be fertile, clay will not work. The groundwater level should be low, the root system needs it.
Hybrid tea roses deserve a place in the garden. Especially unpretentious and beautiful shrubs. They bloom throughout the summer until winter.
Recently, the floribunda rose is in demand among gardeners. It blooms profusely and continuously throughout the season, rarely gets sick and resists pests well. Perennial flowering is decorative.
Climbing roses are widely used in landscape design. They are used to decorate gazebos, arches, pergolas. With the help of these roses, the site can be divided into zones. From the outside it looks attractive.
Important! Climbing roses tolerate winter especially well, bloom on the shoots of the past and current year.
Primrose
This perennial belongs to the Primroses family. There are many varieties of it, which differ in flowering time and color of flowers. Today, primroses are popular, which delight the eye not only in spring, but also in autumn.
Perennial primrose is characterized by compact size, the rosette of leaves is embossed, swollen between the veins. The leaf blade is pubescent, colored dark green. Peduncles up to 25 cm high, grow from the center of the rosette. At the top are umbrellas with flower baskets. Flowers are regular in shape with five petals, the center is almost always yellow. The petals themselves can be variegated or monochromatic. Duration of flowering is 3-8 weeks. At the end of flowering, primrose produces small seeds that can be used for planting. It is easier to propagate a perennial by dividing the rhizome.
To date, more than 400 varieties of primroses are known, which are divided into 38 species. Common primrose is especially popular among lovers. Its flowering begins in April and lasts until June.
On the basis of common primrose, terry perennial varieties were bred, which are striking in their beauty. Especially popular is the Rosanna variety, which combines several varieties with white, pink, yellow, apricot and red petals. Terry varieties tolerate winter tolerably.
Echinacea
This perennial tolerates frosty winters well. It is used as an ornamental and medicinal plant. Long-lasting flowering. If the weather is warm, then bright baskets can be seen in October. The first flowers bloom in early summer.
Lupine
Lupine looks very elegant on a flower bed. This perennial forms rather powerful bushes, blooms profusely and for a long time. The plant is undemanding to soil and lighting, it feels good in partial shade, on poor soils and stony ground. However, abundant flowering can be observed only in an open sunny meadow, where the soil is rich in fertilizers.
All varieties of lupine tolerate winter well, easily recover and reproduce. To do this, you do not need to take complex actions, it is enough to plant seedlings that have formed from self-seeding, or to divide an old bush.
Phlox
Phlox subulate are often used to decorate paths, the edge of a flower bed, or in a single planting. Perennial bushes of medium size, pointed leaves, green. The flowers are small, the petals are white, pink, blue or purple. The flowering period is long, after which the bushes remain decorative until autumn. Phloxes do not dig up in winter, they tolerate the vagaries of the weather well, they easily recover and simply multiply.
Iris
Iris belongs to rhizome perennials. Its flowers are of different shades, smell good throughout the entire flowering period. It lasts from May to mid-July. Perennial prefers well-fertilized and loose soils. In summer, it is watered abundantly and weeds are removed around the plots. The soil must be loosened shallowly so as not to damage the surface roots.
Irises tolerate frosty winters well, but if there is little snow, then it is better to additionally cover the bare roots with spruce branches, peat or sawdust.
There are a lot of varieties of irises, all of them are easily propagated by parts of the rhizome. Perennials are planted in September so that they have time to root well before winter, or in March, after which they are well fed.
Astilba
This perennial is a worthy garden decoration. It is planted in the company of low-growing plants or evergreens. The bushes look elegant not only during the flowering period. Openwork astilba leaves fit well into any composition. The shrub blooms from early summer to autumn. Spike-shaped panicle inflorescences rise above the plant and decorate the site with various colors. In general, astilba is an unpretentious plant, but prefers fertile soil and abundant watering. However, perennial does not tolerate stagnant moisture.
Perennial aster
Perennial aster adorns the garden in autumn, when its daisy-like inflorescences bloom. Aster petals are colored blue, light blue, white or pink. The perennial bush is erect and can reach 50 cm in height. Easily tolerates shaping, pruning and practically does not get sick. In summer, perennial aster does not suffer from a lack of moisture or poor lighting. It does not need mulching for the winter.
Most often, various varieties of asters are used to decorate flower beds or create picturesque borders. Terry flowers look especially impressive.
Aquilegia (catchment)
Among gardeners, the perennial aquilegia or catchment is widespread, as it is popularly called. The plant of the Buttercup family is quite hardy, it survives the winter well and its green ornamental leaves appear with the first warm days. They decorate the flower garden after the flowering of the aquilegia. The bush grows up to 80 cm, blooms profusely in the first half of summer. Flowers near the catchment are beautiful, bright and varied in color. A perennial grows in one place for no more than 3 years, after which it requires a transplant.
Advice! You need to plant the catchment in a thin shade, water and feed abundantly.
Herbaceous perennials that do not need to be dug up for the winter
Herbaceous perennials do not bloom for long, their inflorescences are inconspicuous. Plants wintering in open ground are famous for their decorative foliage, which appears from under the snow and remains attractive until autumn. Some species retain green foliage during the winter.
Among herbaceous perennials are:
- host;
- badan;
- sedum;
- buzulnik.
These plants have unusual foliage coloration and retain it until winter. In the conditions of the middle zone, they tolerate frost well, do not require additional shelter.
In shady areas of the garden, it is worth planting the host. The plant has many varieties, but species with bright foliage are especially popular. The perennial tolerates winter well; in spring it quickly recovers.
Badan attracts with its fleshy foliage, which remains green until winter. The plant looks good next to hosts, narrow-leaved grasses or next to flowering plants.
The sedum plant is a large group of plants from which you can create a beautiful perennial flower bed. Some prefer shade, while others grow in bright sunlight. The sedum is decorative all year round, some specimens bloom. The perennial is unpretentious, tolerates winter well, grows on rocky soil and multiplies easily.
Buzulnik is attractive for its large maple-like leaves. They hold on long stalks, are dark green in color, and may have purple streaks. In June, the perennial blooms, flowering continues until mid-September. Inflorescences are spike-shaped, small flowers are collected in yellow baskets.
How to care for wintering perennials
Most perennial plants are unpretentious, they resist frost well, but they need to be prepared for winter:
- remove dead shoots and leaves;
- huddle roots;
- cover with spruce branches or peat.
One-year-old plants should be especially carefully prepared for winter, as they are vulnerable. Adult specimens are more persistent and do not need such procedures before winter.
Often, perennial shrubs do not need to be transplanted, otherwise they will not have the strength to grow and develop. It is enough to divide the bush every 3-4 years. Creeping and creeping perennials are transplanted every 10 years, they do not take root well in a new place.
In order for flowers to please with bright colors in winter, and their foliage remains decorative, fertilizers need to be applied annually.
Conclusion
Perennials are very diverse in winter, their choice is huge. Each flower deserves attention and is beautiful in its own way. You just need to find a suitable place and neighborhood for it.
Winter, as always, comes suddenly. So this year, frosts came before the snow fell. But what the weather will be like in the next three months is very difficult to predict. Perhaps the winter will be little or no snow at all. And this is dangerous because the soil can freeze to a very great depth, thereby destroying most or even the entire root system of most crops. Frosts (a short-term drop in temperature) are not dangerous in themselves if the snow has not yet fallen: the ground does not have time to freeze. Frosts from minus 13 - 15 degrees are terrible, which last several days in a row without snow. If the aboveground part has adapted to withstand severe cold, then the roots (even in winter-hardy crops) die under such conditions. And if the roots are frozen, the plant will no longer be able to recover, due to the root growth as well.
It is necessary to start the shelter when the soil is frozen to a depth of 3 - 5 cm. For the wintering to be successful, any perennial plant must survive the frost of minus 4 - 7 degrees without shelter. After all, the entire upper, aboveground part works as an indicator that “tells” the root system what is happening up there and what needs to be prepared for.
Very often in winter, plants die not so much from severe frosts as from temperature "swings" during thaws. It is the unstable weather with sharp drops that provokes excessive freezing and waterlogging of the soil.
A covered plant can also die. After all, the shelter is not a panacea, but only one of the methods that help increase the winter hardiness of plants. It is needed in order to protect plantings from severe frosts, sudden temperature changes, sunburn, breaking the crown from adhering snow, glaciation and drying winds.
The question of how and how to cover plants for the winter arises sharply before every gardener. There are a lot of special covering materials for plants, but this does not mean that, having wrapped bushes, trees or flowers with a thick layer of dense fabric, you can not worry. Plants, unlike us, are not warm-blooded creatures. And if we can keep warm by putting on a fur coat, then wrapping them up is useless. In winter, heat comes from the ground, and in order for the shelter to have a comfortable temperature, it is necessary to reduce heat loss due to heat-insulating materials. And the lower the shelter, the warmer it is.
First of all, it is necessary to insulate the plantings of the current year. They are the most vulnerable, because they might not have time to properly take root. Be sure to cover the bite and near-stem stripes of fruit trees and berry bushes with a thick (15 - 20 cm) layer of humus. When insulating your garden, do not forget about the strawberry plantation. Some simply fill it with water, literally freezing garden strawberries into ice. The solution is simple, but unreliable: the first thaw will turn everything into water. You can throw more spruce paws or brushwood on the garden bed for better snow retention, or spread a non-woven covering material. Such protection will work, and the strawberries will be reliably protected in the snowless winter. Raspberries need to be tied in bunches, which are then bent to the ground so that the bushes do not straighten.
There are many materials that can serve as a winter shelter for plants. And each of them has its own pros and cons. An incorrectly chosen protective "cocoon" will lead to freezing of the root system, the death of plantings and a lack of harvest.
Spruce and PINE FESTIVAL deservedly considered one of the best covering materials. It not only perfectly retains snow, but also protects against severe frosts, cold winds, sleet and freezing rain, as well as the ubiquitous rodents. In addition, spruce branches do not accumulate, like leaves, moisture and pass air well. It does not increase frost resistance, but under its reliable protection conditions are created ideal for wintering plants. So not only the temperature drops are excellently smoothed out, but the burning rays of the winter sun also lose their destructive power. And the temperature under it does not drop below minus 5 degrees, even in thirty-degree frost.
But if there is no forest in the area, then where can I get spruce branches? And one more thing: it is allowed to harvest spruce and pine paws only from already felled trees located in places of planned forest felling or sanitary cleaning. Finally, together with the spruce branches brought from the forest, it is easy to bring various pests and even infection to your site. Therefore, before stocking up on them, take a closer look at the pines and firs: are they healthy? If the rump is rusty and yellowed, and the bark is with small black growths and bare areas, then you cannot take such paws - they are sick. The disadvantage of spruce branches is that it is disposable. And it will hardly be possible to completely collect the needles that fell from the spruce branches in the spring. Meanwhile, it increases the acidity of the soil. Yes, in small doses it is not critical. But even such a minimum will harm the plants-calciphiles (preferring alkaline soils).
BRUSHWOOD not so much retains heat as helps to trap snow, which, in fact, serves as protection from frost. It does not interfere with air exchange and does not rot in wet weather. Brushwood is convenient to use in regions with snowy winters. Tightly packed bundles can be used as both a windbreak and snow retention. But if frosts came without snow, there will be little benefit from such a shelter.
Good covering material and DROWN LEAVES... It reliably protects the soil from cold weather and serves as an excellent food for earthworms, which, in turn, increase its fertility. But it is in the foliage that mice are very fond of arranging their nests. Moreover, the foliage must be properly prepared. In no case should you cover plantings with wet leaves. Damp foliage that has folded up does not allow air to pass through and retains moisture - as a result, the plant under it dies. In frost, it turns into an ice crust, and during thaws it melts. For plants covered in this way, this is certain death. Mold, rot, harmful bacteria, pest larvae - this is an incomplete list of what a foliage shelter can take.
Therefore, most often dry leaves are used for plant protection not separately, but as part of a more complex insulating structure. For example, they build a base-hut of stakes or boards over the plant, fill it with foliage and cover it all with some kind of waterproof material, not forgetting to think over the ventilation.
Another disadvantage of using foliage as a covering material is its spring cleaning: a tedious task that takes a lot of time and effort. To avoid this, immediately put the collected dry leaves in mesh bags with small cells (they sell carrots, onions and other vegetables) and cover the plants directly with these bags. In the spring, in just a few minutes, you will disassemble the makeshift shelters.
Good covering material - STRAW... It protects well from the cold and traps snow. But, like leaves, it accumulates moisture and gets wet. Use only dry straw and be sure to protect it from moisture. If the winter turns out to be warm and damp, under the influence of moisture, loose straw can be compacted, caked, forming layers. Sometimes they die, rot, and are affected by mold. Naturally, for plants covered with such material, this is fraught with big problems. Mice and other small rodents like to nest in straw, pests and plant pathogens (fungi, microbes, viruses) hibernate.
If there is an abundance of straw, and there is no other covering material, then it is better to make straw mats or sheaves from it. They are lightweight and do not put pressure on plants. Under them, the crops remain dry. And the heat keeps well during frost. Water on their surface (according to the principle of a thatched roof) rolls down without getting inside. But in spring, the ground under the straw does not thaw for a long time. Through a layer of straw blanket, the sun's rays cannot reach the soil and warm it up, melting the ice. Therefore, it is necessary to remove the straw shelter as early as possible.
Also used for winter shelter DRY PLANT STALKS... In essence, this is the same straw with all its advantages and disadvantages. It is only important to consider: not every stem can be used for shelter. It must be dry, healthy (rotten, moldy, diseased cannot be used) and without seeds.
It is in demand as a covering material and SACKCLOTH... She tied the trunks of young trees, shade conifers, protecting from sunburn, cover roses and other thermophilic plants. Previously, bags were sewn from natural fabrics - now more and more synthetic ones are in use, and even with a polyethylene "lining". They, of course, protect from water, but the plants under them are deprived of normal air exchange, and this is fraught with damping out. However, the traditional burlap is also not without its drawbacks. It not only allows moisture to pass through, but also absorbs it. In wet weather, the fabric dries poorly and in frost it turns into an ice shell, which is not at all useful for covered plants. A favorable environment for the development of rot and mold is created under the damp cloth, and air exchange is disrupted. Together, this can lead to the death of plants.
Most often, old bags are used for shelter, in which vegetables were previously stored. If they were not properly processed, pathogens of various infections could remain on them. And even when storing clean bags in rooms with high humidity, pathogenic microflora sometimes begins to develop on the fabric.
Excellent material for thermal insulation - OPILKI... True, it is not worth completely filling the plant with them: mulching the soil is enough. But wet sawdust cakes and cakes. Therefore, they must be laid so that they do not touch the shoots of the plants. The finer the sawdust, the better it will absorb moisture. During thaws, raw sawdust is compacted, and in the cold, a crust forms that does not allow air to pass through. Like needles, they are able to affect the acidity of the soil. For some cultures, this can be critical. Like straw, they prevent the soil from warming up, and if your plans do not include delaying the development of plants, such a shelter should be removed as soon as possible.
PEAT- a good heat insulator with certain reservations. Firstly, this is not really "handy material" - if only you had it in store in advance. Secondly, a full-fledged shelter from it, perhaps, still will not work, but it is perfect for hilling or mulching. But peat affects the acidity of the soil, therefore, just like needles and sawdust, it is not suitable for all plants. Peat also absorbs moisture well, after which it becomes denser, losing some of its heat-insulating properties. And if it is uncritical when covering beds with peat with podzimny crops and plantings, then when hilling perennials it may turn out to be undesirable.
The emergence NO WOVEN MATERIALS made our life much easier. Agrofibre conditionally protects plants from cold. But it perfectly insures against drying out, wind and winter sun, creating a microclimate. You just need to choose a denser material - from 80 g per 1 sq. m. Initially, nonwovens were developed for countries with warm and little snowy winters. In our harsh winters, when thaws alternate with severe frosts, you need to use such shelters very carefully. It may turn out that the plant will stand all winter in a wet and cold dress. Strong and cold winds and frosts will easily turn it into an ice shell. To avoid all these negative consequences, build a frame on which you will stretch the agrofiber.
CUTTINGS OF BOARDS, PIECES OF SLATE, RUBEROID, WOODEN BOXES - all this can be used for the construction of winter shelters. To one degree or another, they can trap snow, but still their main function is to serve as a frame. An air gap is preserved under this structure, which protects the plants from direct contact with the insulation (which can get wet or covered with ice), and this is a plus. But many building materials contain harmful chemical compounds. And this is already a significant disadvantage. For example, you should not use DSP (cement-bonded particle boards), drywall trimming, fiberboard for shelter. Due to the high content of resins, roofing material is also questionable. Some of these materials are impermeable not only to moisture, but also to air. And then the harm from such a shelter may turn out to be more than good. As with plastic wrap, the humidity under which increases greatly.
Despite all the advantages of covering materials, the best heat insulator, of course, is SNOW... It may seem that there is no benefit to plants from it in winter. It is cold, so it seems that the planting should be cold. But, oddly enough, snow warms plants very well. Not by itself, of course. But due to its structure, it does not allow colder air currents to the soil. That is, covering the plants, the snow cools them, but saves them from an even more severe cold. Under the thick snow cover, the plants endure even the most severe frosts without loss. One trouble: this material is very unreliable - it will fall out late, then it will melt in the middle of winter ... If a layer of loose snow lay on the site all winter, there would be no need to worry about shelters.
To increase the effectiveness of protection, it is best to throw snow on plants already covered with foliage, spruce branches or brushwood. Heat is retained better if loose materials are used, and there should be air gaps in the shelter itself. When constructing the frame, make it low so that the snow can cover it as much as possible. The lower the shelter is located, the warmer it is, since in winter the plants are heated only by the earth. And so that the wind does not carry snow all over the site, consider snow retention. To increase the height of the snow cover on the site, place small shields of plywood, planks or plastic wrap around the apple trees and beds (especially strawberry beds).
No matter how ideal insulation in a winter garden is snow, it also has its drawbacks. Wet snow is an unreliable shelter. It becomes covered with a crust, under which plants, without access to air, suffocate, die and die. To solve this problem, you just need to destroy the crust in time.
As you can see, there is probably no ideal covering material. But we are quite capable of protecting plants from winter cold, sunburn and rodents.
REFERENCE "SB"
In late autumn, in the winter and in snowless frosts, it is dangerous:
Water the plants with warm water;
Fumigate with bonfires;
Lay unripe manure, which will raise the temperature of the soil;
Sprinkle with Epin or Zircon.
All these activities can wake up plants entering a state of winter dormancy. And then some of the shoots and buds will come out of hibernation. And when it gets cold, it will die right there.
BOARD "SB"
In snowless frosts, it is useful to once again check and strengthen all shelters, without exception. Dry, frosty weather is usually accompanied by strong winds, which can break even a securely installed frame or deflate the cover. And we must use all the opportunities to protect the site from the drying wind.
FACT
With a snow height of 1 m or more, the temperature on the soil surface rarely drops below minus 5 - 7 degrees. Therefore, it is very important that the snow cover is not disturbed and the cold air does not penetrate to the ground.
It is getting colder outside the window, people put on warm jackets. It's time in the garden to protect the plants from frost! Why is it important to know how to properly protect plants from cold weather? In this article we will tell you which plants need to be protected from frost, and when it is best to do it so that they cope well with cold winds and low temperatures. In the photo you can see how a winter coating 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 the opinion that shelter from frost is an unnecessary procedure, and sometimes even harmful. This assumption arises, probably, due to mistakes that can be made in the course of protecting plants from frost with unsuitable materials or if the work is carried out at the wrong time. When and how is it right to cover plants for the winter?
In winter, the frozen ground does not allow the plant to consume enough water, while the cold wind enhances the effect of the cold, causing the plant to freeze and dry out. 
This is especially dangerous for evergreen crops. To protect against frost, it is very important to know at what temperature the plants are best covered, and for which crops which type of cover is best. Let's consider these issues in more detail.
Which plants require frost protection?
- evergreens, such as rhododendron, Japanese cherry, laurel;
- roses for which you should make a mound of soil or compost (while trying to avoid peat);
- magnolias, honeysuckle, garden hydrangeas are also subject to shelter;
- don't forget about the grass, and especially the Japanese sedge.
How to protect ornamental grasses?
After the ornamental grasses have faded in autumn and the first frosts begin, it is worth thinking about how to ensure their wintering. Many species require additional cover. It should be noted 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, they should begin to prepare them for the cold. It is best to choose a dry and sunny day for this activity, if possible. On such a day, the leaves of the grass 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 the correct bundle shape. Correct bundle is very important because during windy weather and frosty days, some crops fall off the leaves, as is often the case, 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 packing twine (it can also be a simple cord). It is strong and holds well connected stems, which under their own pressure on windy days can break a weak knot.
The binding of decorative herbs should be double, as in the photo. It is very important not to cut the wilted leaves in the fall as they provide additional protection from frost.
Bark, peat or spruce branches?
If the frost persists for more than three days, it is advisable to protect the ornamental grasses with a bark mound. It is important not to do this too early because the stems can steam out and rot, which negatively affects their health and survival in winter.
Pine bark or dry horticultural peat is commonly used. Scatter them around the grass and form a small hill that reliably protects the root system.
Pine bark mound 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 of coniferous trees or agrofibre. Only suitable white agrofibre can be used for shelter. Before using this material, evergreen herbs 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 tied neatly. For frost protection, avoid the use of colorless foil, bags or pine bark bags!
Ornamental grasses, even tied in bunches, will beautifully decorate any garden. Dusted with snow, they create a mysterious atmosphere in the garden.
Plant protection in pots
Potted plants also require protection in winter. Best of all, they hibernate in a bright, cool place at temperatures from 5 ° C. When it is not possible to move the pots into the room, you can bury them in the ground, preferably in a calm place. If this is not possible, at least a very simple protection against low temperatures should be provided. Namely, it is necessary to make sure that the pots do not stand directly on a concrete or stone surface. To do this, you can put a layer of foam plastic under them with a thickness of about 10 cm, 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 shelter plants from frost. Do not use film or other waterproof and airtight shelter materials, as this leads to overheating of the plants, loss of tempering, 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, which is wrapped around the plant two or three times;
- needles and spruce branches (branches) of conifers;
- shading meshes;
- straw mats;
- in some cases horticultural peat;
- leaves that fall from trees in autumn.
White agrofiber tied with decorative tape 
Photo. Using agrofibre and pine bark. We tie the whole bush with white agrofibre and tie it with a decorative ribbon, and insulate the roots with a slide of pine bark. 
Photo. Roses covered with straw In winter, plants run the risk of losing a lot of water because they are not able to get enough water through the root system if the soil is very frozen. Therefore, it is advisable to mulch around the plants, thereby protecting them from freezing of the soil. You can make a mound of soil, compost or bark 20-30 cm high right at the base of the bush.
Perennials and small shrubs sensitive to frost can be covered with spruce branches (branches of coniferous trees). Here, too, you can add decorative elements to improve the aesthetic effect. Such compositions often become not only an effective measure of protection, but also a real decoration of a sleeping winter garden.
Evergreen deciduous and conifers require shelter at a young age, especially from frosty, dry winds and the sun, which creates large temperature fluctuations between day and night, often seen in February-March. To do this, you can use sprigs of conifers, agrofibre, straw or corrugated cardboard.
A film or other material that is impervious to air is not suitable for covering, as it contributes to the development of fungal diseases. 
Covering is carried out after the appearance of light frosts - in November - December, depending on the climatic zone.
Tall bushes (such as magnolias) are less resistant to frost and require shelter, especially at a young age. Covering an entire bush over 1 m in height is quite troublesome. Therefore, it is advisable to protect at least the base of the bush by 30 cm in height. In case of freezing during the harsh winter of the upper part of the bush, the base with dormant buds will endure frost without damage and give new shoots that can quickly restore the bush. For this purpose, the following are suitable:
- sawdust;
- bark;
- the soil;
- mulch (fallen leaves).
Rose care
In order to cover roses for the winter, the best and cheapest way is to use soil, which is scooped up into mounds, and then covered with branches, making an embankment 20-30 cm high.When raking up mounds, care should be taken not to expose or damage the roots ... Therefore, in the place from where we take the land for the hills, it is recommended to scatter well-decomposed cattle manure, which in the spring we cover with soil removed from the hills. But manure cannot be used for the mounds themselves!
Good to know! Low rose bushes can be bent to the ground and a pile of earth can be poured on top to protect from frost.
To shelter roses on a trunk from frost, you need to tie the bowl and gently tilt it to the ground, then you should strengthen it with sticks so that it does not straighten. After that, the bowl (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 a complete guarantee, you can also cover the stem.
Deadlines
When and at what temperature should plants be covered? The time when plants should be covered depends on the climate of a particular area, it comes when the first frosts begin, on average, this is mid-November. Plants should not be sheltered too early because winter shelter will raise the temperature of the soil, which can lead to further vegetation of the plants, delaying their entry into a state of winter dormancy. In this case, the plants may die from rotting. Therefore, the shelter should be done only when regular frosts have come and the soil has frozen to a depth of 3-4 cm.
Everything that is useful for us 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 frost resistant and require shelter. There are many ways of protection, it is only important to choose the most suitable one depending on the type of planting. In addition to agrotextiles, other materials and raw materials available in the garden can also be used: straw, dry leaves, sawdust, coniferous branches, straw mats and bark will be suitable for covering from the cold.
It is also important not to miss the timing of 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 do not get blocked. This should be done when the first frosts appear, and the topsoil freezes. In November, the weather sometimes plays a joke and, despite a few cooler days, it can also surprise 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.
The issues of plant conservation in winter are very important. Most of their deaths occur in winter or spring. Recently, many new species and varieties of plants have appeared on the market, usually bred and grown in warmer climates, and their life in our country is impossible without shelter for the winter, at least in the first years after planting.
Many plants need protection in winter.
To assess the cold hardiness of plants, many firms indicate USDA zones. According to this classification, in central Russia and in the North-West without shelter, it is possible to reliably grow plants belonging to 3-4 zones, plants of the 5th zone need to be covered for the winter, and the 6th does not always hibernate even under cover.
When assessing the possibilities of growing plants in a certain climate, it is more correct to speak not only about cold resistance, but about winter hardiness in general, since death can be associated not only with low temperatures, but also with the spread of diseases due to dampness, with burns and other unfavorable conditions, which are often denoted by one word "frozen". The ability of plants to recover after freezing is also very important.
The ability of plants to survive in winter, in addition to the biological characteristics of specific species and varieties, is influenced by many factors:
peculiarities of weather conditions of the current year; climatic features of the area and even a specific site; age of plants; their condition.
Having evaluated all this, in each selected case, you need to decide the issue of winter shelter individually.
The most important facts about winter shelter for plants You can offer many specific ways of shelter and the use of various materials, but it is more correct to understand the possibilities and dangers of different types of shelters and create your own system for preparing plants for winter and their shelter, taking into account local characteristics and their capabilities.
When deciding what and how to cover, you need to remember the following:
1. Plants are not warm-blooded creatures, and “dressing” them is useless.
Heat in winter comes only from the ground, and in order to raise the temperature in the shelter, you need to reduce heat loss using thermal insulation materials. The lower the shelter, the warmer it is. The use of various covers, wrapping plants directly on a support (for example, climbing roses) can protect against burns, wind, but not cold.
If the plants were covered with a loose layer of snow all winter, they would not need other shelters.
2. The main insulating material in our conditions is snow.
If there was a loose layer of snow all winter, most of the plants we grow could hibernate without shelter. All shelters must be made so that they are evenly covered with snow, which means that they would not be too high, do not have canopies that prevent the ground from covering with snow.
3. Materials containing air keep warm very well.
Therefore, the shelters must contain air spaces, and the insulating materials must be loose.
4. The main reason for the death of plants in shelters is the development of diseases in conditions of increased dampness.
Therefore, it is necessary to fight the infection on the covered plants, make the shelters drier, be sure to provide for their ventilation in late autumn and spring, and prevent water from flowing into them.
You can find everything you need to shelter plants for the winter in our catalog, which combines the offers of large garden online stores. Select materials for the shelter.
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Now let's look at the different types of shelters and the features of their use.
Mulching Mulching is covering the surface of the ground with loose material in order to reduce heat loss and better preserve the root system. It is used on almost all plants, but it is especially important for plants with a superficial or insufficiently cold-resistant root system and for bulbs. For mulching, you can use humus, peat, sawdust, fallen leaves and other materials.
Rhododendron, mulched with peat, with coarse sand protection of the neck. Photo by the author
Particular attention should be paid to shrubs with a neck prone to podoprevanie. It is usually advised not to mulch the area immediately adjacent to the trunks, but in practice it is very difficult to do this, with rains and melting snow the mulch still moves to the trunks. In this case, filling the neck area with coarse sand with a small hill near the trunk helps. The sand protects well the neck and bark in the lower part of the trunks from podoprevanie and rotting throughout the year.
Covering plants with fallen leaves is a very common recommendation. But it must be borne in mind that a layer of dried leaves, covered on dry ground, has good heat-insulating properties, and wet caked leaves only contribute to decay. This is especially dangerous for plants with hibernating rosettes, for example, Korean chrysanthemums, so this method of shelter is not suitable for them, especially in damp climates.
Hilling plants for the purpose of warming is adding earth or other loose material: peat, sawdust, etc. to the base of the bush. A layer of material 10-40 cm high increases the temperature in the area of the root collar and allows you to preserve the buds present here. It is used on various types of plants, in particular, on hydrangeas, clematis, roses, but for many plants, hilling is dangerous, as it leads to damping of the bark in the neck area.
In areas with a more continental climate, where there is a sharp cold snap, it is recommended to spud most plants after the establishment of frost and freezing of the soil surface. In an unstable climate (in particular, in the North-West), the establishment of winter is uncertain, and hilling of trees and shrubs prone to underpinning is unacceptable. This applies, for example, to ornamental and fruit cherries and plums. Do not huddle roses after frost cracks have formed on them, as this leads to the penetration of infection through the cracks formed.
Hilling and bending the serrated hydrangea, photo by the author
Bending down Very often we grow shrubs, the aerial part of which is not cold-resistant enough, for example, shrubs that bloom on the shoots of last year and lay flower buds in the fall. An effective and very simple method of preserving such plants is to bend them down and then cover them with snow. You can strengthen the plants horizontally by tying them to pegs driven into the ground or by securing them with a wire bail (it is convenient to use commercially available wire stands with rings to support the bushes).
It is better to bend the plants not to the ground or to put trellises and boards under them so that the branches do not rot when in contact with damp earth. You need to bend it down before the onset of frost, until the wood becomes too fragile. Often, inclined plants are additionally covered with non-woven material. Climbing and shrub roses, large-leaved hydrangeas, weigels, etc. must be tilted.
Air-dry shelter The most reliable shelter for thermophilic plants, but also the most labor-intensive is an air-dry shelter. It consists of a solid frame that can withstand the weight of snow (usually no higher than 60 cm), an insulating layer and a moisture insulating layer.
The frame can be made from thick wire, a wooden box, a board placed on supports, in the simplest case, you can put a board on two block of wood. Heat-insulating and at the same time shading material can be lutrasil (spunbond) or panels sewn from old fabric, and any: synthetic, woolen, cotton. The moisture insulating layer is a transparent or black polyethylene film, roofing material. A very good silver film sold as mulching: it is opaque, but does not heat up like black. When using transparent film without shading, in the spring, the shelter turns into a greenhouse, and the plants overheat.
The main problem of shelter with a film is dampness. You can ensure dryness in the shelter in the following way. Remove weeds, fallen leaves, etc. from the shelter; to tear off all the leaves from the covered plants; pre-dry the flower garden by making a foil roof over it, or cover the entire surface with dry soil (for example, from a dried greenhouse); use only dry materials.
Roses covered with a plastic roof to dry. End of September - beginning of October, photo by the author
It is imperative to make air vents for airing, they can be covered with a film tightly when frost sets in, or they can be left covered with several layers of lutrasil for the whole winter to provide a little ventilation during thaws and in spring.
Shelter timing depends on the characteristics of the plants. So, thermophilic hydrangeas can be sheltered from the beginning of October, after the onset of systematic frosts, and roses - only from the end of October, since an earlier shelter requires that they be cut off earlier, and this can cause autumn growth of shoots and their subsequent death. But to wait for the establishment of frost for the beginning of the shelter, as recommended by many manuals, I consider it very harmful. Usually, a cold snap is accompanied by snow, which makes it difficult to cover the roses, and with proper cover and the presence of air, roses will never support. I have been covering roses and hydrangeas in this way for more than 25 years, and in all weather conditions they kept very well, and over the years the temperature dropped below -40 degrees twice.
Air-dry hydrangea shelter. The lower layer is thick lutrasil, the upper one is a silvery film. The ventilation duct is open. Photo by the author
An air-dry shelter requires timely and gradual harvesting in the spring. When the snow melts from the shelter, you need to open the air vents, then remove the film, and finally remove the entire shelter only after the ground has completely thawed. Shelter of roses and hydrangeas using the air-dry method, as well as other options for shelter, are discussed in detail in my book "Roses and Hydrangeas in the North-West of Russia".
Air-“Wet” Shelter The complexities of air-dry shelter force us to look for an alternative. Usually it is suggested to use spruce or pine spruce branches or its combination with non-woven fabric. But to make a good shelter, you need a lot of spruce branches. It is almost impossible to buy it, and independent extraction of spruce branches in the forests causes them great harm, and there are almost no forests around our gardens.
Air-"wet" shelter with the help of plastic boxes and lutrasil, photo by the author
The meaning of such a shelter is that there is an air gap around the plant, but the plant is not isolated from moisture and can get wet and dry, constantly ventilating itself. It is important that the plant is not pressed tightly to the ground. Best of all, such a shelter is obtained if a dense non-woven material is put in 1-2 layers on a low support (it may not be as strong as in the previous method).
The support is easy to make by placing the slats on bricks or logs. You can use plastic lattice boxes for vegetables. Such a shelter for cuttings gives a very good effect. The cuttings do not stick to the ground, do not rot and hibernate very well.
Air-"wet" shelter of cuttings, drawing by the author
Covering chrysanthemums or phloxes in this way (in frosty, snowless autumn), I use the remnants of their stems sticking out after pruning as a support and cover them with a cloth or thick lutrasil. The timing of shelter and spring opening is not critical with this method, plants can be under such shelter in any weather.
Protection of rhododendrons and conifers in the winter-spring period In our gardens, we grow mainly cold-resistant rhododendrons and conifers, but they often do not overwinter well. This is not due to freezing, but with a "burn", podoprevanie or desiccation.
The shelter of such plants differs from the one discussed above, it is important to shade them, protect them from the wind, breaking off branches with snow. When covering evergreens, it is generally very dangerous to use a film, and even dense lutrasil sometimes causes podoprevanie needles. In most cases, I use specially sewn covers made of light-colored fabric (for example, from old sheets).
Cypress covered with a fabric cover, photo by the author
I select the covers according to the size of the plants, which also serves as a strapping for them. Near the plant I put a stick above it or a hut of three sticks (on spherical plants) and put a cover on them, fix it with a rope. The sticks make the shelter conical, promote uniform snow cover, and prevent the snow from pressing on the top of the plant.
You can cover evergreens with boxes, but there must be cracks in them, and only the roof needs to be covered with polyethylene. It is good to put pieces of wood or lattice plastic boxes under the creeping conifers so that the snow does not press them to the ground. Usually, plants are fired in early spring, but it is important to shade them even in autumn, since it is difficult to do this accurately and in a timely manner in the spring. It is necessary to remove shading only after the ground has completely thawed, in cloudy weather.
Summing up: Usually, plants are covered not in one way, but in a combination of several. For example, climbing roses spud, tilt, and then cover.
Plants die from the wrong, not too good, warm shelter. Once again, I want to emphasize that the warmest shelter is obtained when using film, since it does not allow warm air rising from the ground to leave the shelter. But it is very important to observe the following rules:
lay the film only on supports, preferably on lutrasil; avoid contact of the film with plants; do not cover plants with leaves on damp ground; ventilate and clean up shelters in time.
Be sure to dry the flower garden that you are going to cover with film. Photo by the author
If it is impossible to follow all the rules, it is better to completely abandon the film. The effectiveness of the shelter strongly depends not only on the characteristics of the climate of a particular place, but also on the weather of the next winter, and this is impossible to predict. Therefore, you need to cover in such a way as to improve wintering conditions in any possible weather. I always ask myself the question: "How will the shelter I have conceived behave in this or that weather?"
The main principle: "Do no harm!"
Growing a wide range of plants, especially in the northern regions, it is impossible to do without their shelter altogether. It is important to choose more resistant species and varieties, observe optimal agricultural techniques and, above all, do not overfeed the plants with nitrogen fertilizers (completely exclude nitrogen from fertilizing since August!), Fight diseases and pests in a timely manner, observe planting dates, especially in autumn. All this will allow you to keep the work on the shelter to a minimum.
You may also be interested in publications:
5 common myths about winter shelter of plants Is it necessary? .. 10 improvised materials for winter shelter of plantsHow to prepare a garden for winter: traditions and delusionsFor cold weather? Choosing materials for winter shelter of plants Errors when preparing a garden for winter. Plants Shelter Plants that refuse to hibernate without shelter
