You can insulate plants with moss for the winter. Shelter will certainly help the plants cope with frost

it conifer tree growing fast enough. But for a plant that seems to be old enough, the first years must be looked after. It is imperative to cover this tree in winter, because most often thuja grows on the street. Special attention you need to pay attention to the safety of this coniferous plant in the first and second year after planting. It is difficult for those thujas that were planted in open ground in the fall. After all, those that were, have time to adapt before the next winter.

Many experienced gardeners know how important it is to protect these trees in winter from sunburn - yes, yes, exactly burns, because in winter time year, sap flow practically stops, and the needles do not receive the proper amount of moisture. When exposed to direct sunlight, thuja branches dry out.

Keep in mind that the material for covering the thuja should be light color - then it will reflect the sun's rays well, and the tree will not suffer from a particularly bright spring sun.

Alternatively, you can prepare and wrap trees non-woven fabric, but keep in mind that during the thaw, the tree may overheat. It is not only the quality of the material that matters, but also the shelter time of the trees. It is best to do this from mid-October. However, when to shelter a thuja for the winter depends on the region - somewhere the sun "burns" the earth more, and somewhere less.

Another option for shelter is plain gauze. In order to secure it, you can use a stationery stapler. Getting started, for convenience, cut the fabric into strips that correspond in length to the height of the tree. First, you will need to attach gauze to the top of the crown and, gradually closing the thuja, reach the base. Do not overtighten the material at the base of the tree. You need to put gauze on the tree in several layers. And all this must be done very carefully, otherwise you risk damaging the plant.

Some gardeners grew thuja even without creating such shelters in the winter. It is possible to save the tree without additional efforts in cases where there is no too strong direct sunlight, and also if the thuja is located near the house (in the shade of a building), in the shade of another tree or next to a natural shelter.

In order to insure yourself and not lose your favorite coniferous tree, you can use another shelter option - a special wooden frame... It should be created near each thuja. Such a shelter from above is also covered with material and fixed. Watch it carefully - no large amount of snow should accumulate on top of the frame. Otherwise, the weight of the frame will fall, and your tree may break.

So that the thuja does not "burn out", you should look after it in early spring - it is then that the sun begins to strongly warm the crown of the tree, but the roots have not yet had time to wake up from winter sleep, and moisture does not flow to the needles the right amount... Very often, thuja seedlings "burn out" at this particular time. Trees that have successfully survived winter and spring are less susceptible to disease.

When too sunny winter sometimes adult thuja can also suffer. They are usually protected from hazardous sunlight with a fine mesh. Such material misses a lot fresh air, which excludes the threat of drying out processes with the onset of a thaw. If you decide to use cheesecloth, then do not pull it too tightly, because when it gets wet, shrinkage will occur and the tree may suffer.

In all cases, the main thing is not to stretch or injure the thuja branches. Particular attention should be paid to protecting the tree from the sunny side - it is better if you have other trees planted there, and they will shade the young coniferous seedlings with its crown. And do not try to cover the seedling with snow - firstly, branches may break from the severity of the snow, and secondly, the tree may begin to rot from excessive moisture.

Remove nets, frames or gauze shelters in the spring, after thawing the ground. You should not do this on a too sunny day - it is better if you remove winter shelters in cloudy weather. Then there will be no threat to the seedlings, and they will be able to gradually adapt to new conditions. Good luck, and let your thuja become a real green beauty and delight you with its gorgeous needles for as long as possible!

The summer ended, during which we created beauty, comfort and harmony in our plots, planted the plants we liked, took care of them, and from some we got the harvest. Has come golden autumn, not sunburned already and winter. Now is the time to think about how to preserve everything that we have created so carefully so that our favorite plants will please us next year (and not only).

It is necessary to take care of the plants in advance

Additional care in cold period it will take years for plants native to the more southern regions of the Urals. Similarly, it is desirable to take care of young seedlings of completely winter-hardy plants in our country, which were planted on the site only this summer, because they only take root and have not yet matured.

Plants that were planted this year require special attention.

What exactly can winter harm our pets?

First, naturally, cold and frost are dangerous when the air temperature drops below the limit that a particular plant can tolerate. Here it is necessary to clarify immediately that the average temperature standards The Urals and, more specifically, the Sverdlovsk region correspond to frost resistance zones 4 and 3 (according to international classification), i.e. the air temperature in our winter can drop to -30 / -36 degrees Celsius, and the temperature on the ground can drop to -40 degrees (especially in the north of the region). Accordingly, all those plants that are unable to withstand such a drop in temperatures are at risk and may no longer wake up next spring... It is especially necessary to say that the damage to plants is not caused by short-term cold weather (let's conventionally call them "frost shock test"), which last from several hours to two days, namely, a long frosty period, when the cold lasts a week or more.
Many plants find it very difficult to tolerate sudden temperature fluctuations when frosts are quickly replaced by thaws and vice versa.
The onset of moderate and severe cold weather is dangerous, without the presence of snow cover or with its minimal presence.
In addition, thaws in winter can also adversely affect plants, due to the fact that during this period water can stagnate in the holes at the roots, and the roots can begin to rot or rot out.
For small plants or plants with delicate, thin branches, among other things, a large snow cover may turn out to be an "unbearable burden", which simply breaks these branches for them.

Even plants that are accustomed to cold weather may be at risk.

Helping plants cope with frost will certainly help.shelter

Consider when and how to cover plants.

Based on many years of experience, scientists and gardeners have found that plant shelter must be carried out when the air temperature at night drops to -5 degrees Celsius or below. This usually happens in the second half of October - November. You should not do this earlier, since the plants need to get a little hardening, get used to low temperatures.

"Classic" shelter for small plantsspruce or pine spruce branches... Among the main advantages of this material are the following: it prevents direct contact of the plant with the snow (traps the snow), as well as with the ice crust; keeps warm; provides little or moderate air access, thus allowing the plant to be ventilated; spruce branches are not subject to decay and are not damaged by microorganisms, mold or fungi that are harmful to plants; in early spring, spruce branches will perfectly protect the plant from overheating in direct sunlight. The disadvantages of this type of shelter can be attributed to the fact that it is not always easy to prepare such material as spruce branches, especially in the required amount... In addition, it is clear that for the sake of sheltering one plant, we have to break another (spruce or pine).

Using spruce branches - classical method hideouts

For small plants, in addition to the above method, it is suitable foliage shelter.It is recommended to use only dry, rustling and healthy leaves for shelter. You can collect the leaves in advance by storing them in polypropylene bags somewhere in the shed or under the roof. You can use, for example, birch leaves (as the most common tree in Russia) or oak (oak leaves most often do not rot and are not damaged by a fungal infection). The thickness of the leaf cover should be from 15 to 30 cm.In addition, it is necessary to install an additional shelter above the foliage from water and snow (for example, a waterproof box or film) so that the foliage does not get wet, otherwise it will cake, rot and even possibly rot. The only drawback of this method of shelter is that it is not always possible to collect all healthy leaves; unfortunately, some pests and diseases that previously lived on a deciduous tree may remain in them.

Foliage cover requires preliminary preparation material

Similar to dry leaves, the plant can also be covered with dry yellow larch needles... This method of shelter is safer from the point of view of introducing any diseases or pests on the plant, however, the needles of this tree cannot always be obtained in the required quantity.
Straw shelter suitable for perennials and small shrubs. As you know, straw retains snow well and retains heat. But, just as with the leaf cover, it is necessary that the straw does not get wet (you can cover it with a film on top). The disadvantages of this type of shelter can only be attributed to the fact that sometimes small rodents find housing and food under such shelter. Therefore, some gardeners advise putting poison from rodents under shelters with straw so that our plants are certainly not damaged by anything or anyone.

It's time to spread the straws!

Covering with dry shavings or sawdustis produced in much the same way as with leaves or straw, with the only consideration that given view shelter is not applicable for those plants that need soil with alkaline reaction pH since shavings and sawdust during their subsequent decomposition and decay in spring and summer - contribute to soil acidification.

Shelter shavings

Hilling (creating a mound of soil around the roots and stems of the plant)or mulching (bedding) humus or peat can also be considered one of the simple and at the same time convenient ways warming plants for the winter. This method is most often used to preserve perennials. It is widely known that peat remarkably protects the root collar of plants from frost damage. Some breeders recommend mulching with peat and the grafting site near the plant (if the grafting is not done high).
Kraft paper (high strength wrapping paper from lightly cooked long-fiber sulphate cellulose) is another good covering material. Quite dense, it perfectly protects plants from sunburn (which is especially necessary for some young plants); protects from wind and frost. Most often, this shelter is used for conifers and evergreens deciduous plants... The disadvantages of this type of shelter can be attributed already indicated above - kraft paper - protects against sunburn, but itdoes not let in sunlight. Therefore, unfortunately, it can be used to shelter not all plants, but only those that can really suffer greatly from sunburn (especially in February - March).
Lutrasil, spunbond - lightweight, comfortable covering material. It can be of different density. The canvas of this material can be used directly for shelter, as well as pulled over the frame, cut into strips for wrapping plant boles. However, some agricultural technicians recommend using spunbond with caution as winter shelter, since the structure of this material is such that letting heat inside, it does not release it back and the plants under it during thaws in winter may suffer from overheating. Therefore, it is recommended to use spunbond 17 or 30 UV density, but not higher density.

When choosing a cover sheet, check its UV degree

Shelter with frames used for medium to large shrubs and trees. The frame can be made by yourself or purchased from gardening stores. A wooden or wire (made of wire mesh) frame is installed on the ground, along the perimeter of the plant, the above-mentioned covering material is stretched onto the frame.

In addition, the small free space between the frame and the plant can be filled with dry foliage.

A not quite standard hiding place is expanded clay shelter... As you know, expanded clay is a foamed (air-saturated) fired clay in the form of almost round granules ranging in size from a few millimeters to 1 - 2 cm. Expanded clay - has the color of a brick, i.e. reddish brown. It is about 2 times lighter than water. Does not burn, does not rot and does not sink in water. In addition, expanded clay has excellent thermal insulation properties... Expanded clay can used to preserve perennials. They are sprinkled with the root collar of plants to keep from cold weather.

Having decided what needs to be done to save plants from the cold, we now turn to the opposite situation.

What needs to be done for plants to successfully survive?

Thaw in winter!

A thaw is not dangerous in itself, but its consequences - flooding, stagnant water, soaking, damping out and decay of roots, as well as frosts that come after a thaw.

The consequences of the thaw in winter can be dire

So, during the thaw, it is advisable to create grooves to drain melt water from the zone of the root collar and plant roots. In addition, by removing water from the trunk of the plant, you cancompact the near-barrel circle, and around the root collar of the plantpour dry sand or sand mixed with peat... These measures are especially necessary for such plants as felt cherry, a number of varieties of bird cherry, irgi, honeysuckle, gooseberry and black currant.
If thaws are repeated often enough, and from year to year, then it is recommended to whitewash the trunks of shrubs and trees in autumn - to protect against fungal diseases that can occur during thaws.
Herbaceous perennials are also desirable in autumn (in dry weather) spray with a 3% solution copper sulfate , also to protect plants from infections and fungal diseases manifested in thaw.
Thaws in February are considered the most dangerous. Warming during this period can provoke sap flow, and further cold, if it comes, will freeze liquids in the trunks and branches of trees and shrubs. This can lead to freezing of fruit and growth buds. Experienced gardeners during such a period, it is recommended, if possible, to shade young seedlings of trees and bushes, thereby protecting them from strong sunlight.

When alternating in winter frost with thaw and again frost - another phenomenon is possible. This is the icing of the branches of plants, as well as the icing of the soil cover (if the water was not drained in a timely manner during the thaw). As you know, a layer of ice on the soil near-trunk circles - significantly impairs air exchange in plants, therefore it is always recommended to remove the ice, pouring soft snow instead of it or breaking this ice. This measure is necessary for all non-sheltered plants that are significant for aac. As for the icing of the branches, it can be avoided by covering the plants for the winter with the help of frames and spunbond. This shelter will also help from the accumulation of a large amount of snow on the branches of plants. This shelter is especially important for plants. with thin, fragile twigs (for example, for a number of Tui varieties).

Plants with thin branches especially suffer without shelter for the winter.

Let us mention one more necessary measure of preparing plants for winter - competent fertilization during the growing season.

So, from the end of July, it is not recommended to feed trees and shrubs with fertilizers containing nitrogen, which stimulates the growth of shoots. From now on, young shoots should stop growing in length and lignification of the bark should begin so that they can safely survive the winter. But the plants will need potassium and phosphorus to prepare for winter (the fertilizer application rates should be read on the packages). Potash and phosphorus fertilizers - can be fed in the fall.

Removal from supports

Let's briefly dwell on caring for climbing plants, such as grapes, clematis, lemongrass, etc. After mid-October (when the weather is cold), their shoots are recommended to be removed from the supports and covered with dry foliage, straw or dry peat, and on top with a film or other waterproof material.

Caring for plants in containers

And lastly, let's touch on plants that are grown in decorative containers, vases, tubs, pots. They are either recommended to be brought into a slightly heated room for the winter, or (winter-hardy specimens) - to be buried on a plot level with the ground, preferably from the south, leeward side.

Even more useful

Article written based on our own experience and using information from sources : from the article: "Thaw in the Garden" of the "Gardener" magazine No. 8 for 2011 from the article "Spring begins in autumn" of the magazine "Flora" No. 4, 1997; articles "Shelter of plants for the winter. Do not be lazy" from the site "Lazy Garden"; articles "Shelter of plants for the winter" from the site "Eva. Ornamental plants nursery"; "Shelter of plants for the winter. Techniques" from the site Country garden Nizhny Novgorod and areas; articles: "Shelter of plants for the winter. Advantages and disadvantages" from the site "Smart gardener. Internet magazine for summer residents"; the article "Shelter of plants for the winter" (by S. Chizhova, Ph.D.) from the site "Landscape Art"; article "Protection from frost, shelter of roses, ornamental plants for the winter" from the site "City".

In November, the most favorable terms come to finally cover the non-frost-resistant ornamental plants in the garden. You can't let everything take its course, because in last years winters bring surprise after surprise. That frosts will break out worse than Siberian ones. Then New Year we meet with blooming daisies in the flower beds, as in the previous season. Therefore, it is better not to risk it and work a little for the good of your garden favorites.

It is imperative to cover the clematis that bloom on last year's shoots. To do this, they are removed from the supports, rolled up in a ring and laid on the ground, having previously spread spruce branches or other material. The root zone is spud up to a height of 20 cm with dry peat, humus or soil. From above, the shoots are covered with the same spruce branches, lutrasil, roofing material. The same should be done with the young girlish grapesuntil he grew up and got stronger.

All roses, except for park roses, also need shelter. Most often, roses die not from freezing, but from damping, which occurs due to too early shelter in the fall, lack of ventilation and belated opening in spring. The first autumn frosts do not harm the roses, they even help the plants switch to the winter cycle, contributing to the growth arrest and accumulation nutrients in the shoots.

Small roses can simply be pulled together with twine, tied with spruce branches and built over them a shelter. Climbing roses they cover, like clematis: they are removed, laid on the ground and covered, after removing the remnants of the leaves. Miniature roses are cut short, leaving stumps no more than 5-7 cm high, covered with dry peat and covered with a spruce tree or small pots with a hole at the top.

Before the shelter hybrid tea roses cut to a height of about 30 cm, lubricate the cuts with brilliant green or garden pitch and carefully remove the remnants of foliage from them. They begin to build a shelter above them with the establishment of stable low temperatures (from 0 to -5 degrees). The bush is spud with dry soil, peat or foliage to a height of about 20 cm and well covered with spruce branches. He is the most the best material for shelter of plants, because thanks to the thorns it scares away rodents, retains snow well and retains heat, at the same time, without obstructing ventilation. Then, something like a roof is erected on top to prevent excess moisture from entering. You can use wooden boards, boxes, plywood - it all depends on the available possibilities and the size of the plants.

In the same shelter that prevents moisture ingress and retains good ventilation, need and chrysanthemums. They are cut off almost at the level of the soil, covered with mulch, you can take peat with sawdust and pour this mixture on a 10 cm high bush, pour leaves on top of the mixture. If you do not build a roof over them, then they are likely to get wet.

For the purpose of warming mulch peonies, garden chamomile, phlox, add soil or humus to primroses, lilies, astilbe and other perennials. Harbor heat-loving ornamental shrubs (weigelu, forsythia, rhododendrons other). The shoots are slightly bent to the ground and covered, then, during the winter, snow is constantly poured onto them. In the absence of mulch, it will be successfully replaced by spruce branches.

Conifers, especially young ones, need to be wrapped in thick paper, wrapped in burlap or lutrasil and tied with twine. They are not afraid of frosts, but the burning rays of the sun in late winter and early spring leave red spots on the needles from burns. It is enough to bend low creeping conifers to the ground, you can cover it a little with material, the rest will be done by snow.

In the shelter they spend the winter better and everyone new young plantings... It is necessary to mulch their root zone with peat and, if these are standard plants, wrap the trunks with lutrasil in order to protect them from damage during temperature extremes at the end of winter.

Probably the easiest to hide plants on alpine slide ... Just throw on top double layer covering material, pressing along the edges with stones. Thanks to such a shelter, in the spring, you will not have to additionally clean the hill of debris and foliage. And the soil will be much less compacted and will remain loose.

And special shelter houses and huts made of nonwoven materials for various plants began to appear on sale. If possible, you can take advantage of this innovation.

Shelter for the winter bulbous plants

Most of the small-bulbous, blooming in spring - muscari, redwoods, hazel grouses (checkerboard and white-flowered), snowdrops, Pushkinia, crocuses and other winter-hardy bulbous plants do not need to be covered. Planted before September 20 to the required depth, the bulbs of these plants have time to root well and do not freeze in winter. However, more late plantings bulbs need to be mulched on top.

Winter-hardy Dutch bulbs planted in autumn (lilies, tulips, daffodils, etc.) should be covered with spruce branches. It is also an effective protection against mice, which are very fond of eating lily and tulip bulbs. And on top, cover the spruce branches with a film and cut perennial shoots, i.e. do " dry shelter". In no case do not cover the planting of bulbous with straw - otherwise, create excellent conditions for breeding mice.

An indispensable condition for the successful wintering of all bulbous plants is the non-flooding of the planting site with spring waters.

You can mulch the rhizomes of perennial plants with a loose mixture (for example, a mixture of garden soil, peat, compost and humus in any combination) or just garden soil.

Young herbaceous peonies at correct fit no need to hide. But on old bushes, in which the buds have grown up, should be covered annually in the fall with a hill of earth with humus. And in early spring, you need to break the covered peonies very carefully so as not to damage the growth buds. It is in order not to damage the buds that I break the peonies when the leaves begin to grow.

In the fall, primroses in the garden should be covered with spruce branches to protect them from mice, which are very fond of gnawing the delicious juicy "heart" of the plant's rosette. Sprinkle fresh earth at the base of the bush.

Daylilies hibernate without shelter.
But if you have planted some particularly decorative valuable variety (for example, "Close in Glory", "Cherry Valentine", "Storm of Center", etc.), then a preventive shelter for the winter will not be superfluous. Indeed, among imported daylilies, less frost-resistant semi-evergreen or evergreen varieties can be found. Since their winter hardiness in our region has not been precisely determined, make a dry shelter for imported daylilies for safety reasons.

Unpretentious siberian irises winter shelter is not required, these are quite frost-resistant plants. But varietal bearded irises dry shelter must be provided.

The time has come for the winter shelter of thermophilic perennials should be judged by the weather in your region.

You should not do this early, because in October, after the first strong cold snaps, very warm weather can set in. Then prematurely sheltered perennial plants can get out.

Sprinkle mulch and garden soil on perennials while it is still loose (it would be nice to prepare mulch and cover soil in advance and keep it in a dry place).
And you will cover your wintering heat-loving perennials with burlap, film and cut off shoots of plants after the onset of stable frosts.

The shelter is carried out when the air temperature drops below -5 C. This usually happens in mid-November. You should not do this earlier, because the plants need to get a little hardening, get used to low temperatures. They are not afraid of night frosts, and small frosts (-5 C) are not dangerous. The main covering material is spruce (or pine) spruce branches, until nothing better has been invented. It helps to accumulate snow, which protects the plant from severe frost.

In the Botanical Garden of Lomonosov Moscow State University, an experiment was carried out: the air temperature was measured under the shelter and outside it. Under the shelter, the temperature did not drop below -5 C, even if there were thirty degrees of frost. Under such a shelter, overheating of plants does not occur when thaws occur, and temperatures are above zero in the middle of winter. When it was -5 C outside, -3 C under the shelter, but if the air temperature dropped to -32 C, it was not below -5 C under the shelter. However, if there is no snow, the temperature under the shelter hardly differs from the temperature outside.

The shelter should in no way damage or break the branches of plants. Therefore, it is first recommended to carefully tie the spreading bushes with twine, then wrap with burlap and only then cover with spruce branches

Branches and buds are adapted to withstand very coldy, which cannot be said about the roots. They suffer a lot during snowless winters, so you need to try to accumulate snow on the trunks. The same spruce branches can be very helpful in this.

By the way about conical and pyramidal forms of junipers and columnar thuja... In winter, from adhering snow, they often lose their shape, fall apart, bend, or even break off branches.
Starting from the bottom, not very tight, pull off the crown with any rope. If the tree is more than 1.5-2.0m, it is advisable to tie them to supports - pegs, deciduous trees and so on, that is, fix so that they do not lean under the weight of the snow. In general, snow from the crowns needs to be shaken off.

Shelter of plants for the winter should be carried out on time and in moderation: too much zeal in such a matter can bring disastrous results. A slight frost is not so terrible for wintering plants, even very thermophilic ones, overheating is much more dangerous.

After all, plants often die not from cold, but from dampness caused by temperature fluctuations during a thaw. The moisture accumulated during a warm day from melting snow freezes at night and cannot evaporate from under a thick covering coat, which carries a real threat of damping out of the root collar, and subsequently even the death of young plantings.

When to cover overwintering plants?

The threat of overheating and damping off is not only the plants that are covered for the winter with an excessively thick fur coat, but also plants that are covered too early, when the weather is warm from above zero for a long time. It is necessary to shelter wintering plantings when the thermometer is stably below 5-7 degrees below zero. and the ground will freeze by 4-5cm.

How to cover plants for the winter?

By far the best shelter is the fir branches. The material itself is warm, and the snow retains well. But if three thousand summer residents, getting off the train at my stop, go into the forest for spruce legs, then the forest will not live even two or three years. Therefore, we are looking for other equally wonderful covering materials, both natural and adapted for this purpose, which can replace spruce branches. For example, we rake fallen leaves (it must be dry), peat, humus.

Each type of plant has its own preferences in the choice of covering material. For example, mulching with pure peat, moist soil or sawdust is in no way suitable for roses, since these materials quickly absorb moisture, and when the temperature drops sharply, they form an ice crust dangerous for plants in the trunk circle. The roots stop breathing, and the moisture accumulated under the crust causes the root collar to dry out.

Roses cut to the woody part of the stem: all the same, the immature shoots will die, only they will still spread the infection. Sprinkle, and then sprinkle the bushes with clean dry sand to a height of 20-25cm. Cut off the leaves remaining on the branches with scissors.

Climbing roses must be removed from the support and laid on spruce branches or on wooden shields. It is important for them that rain and sleet do not fall on the stems during wintering.

Clematis if necessary, it can be cut, or it can be laid in rings around the trunk. They winter well if, after water-charging irrigation (it is carried out before the soil freezes!), They are sprinkled with dry earth or sawdust.

Hyacinths, iris, primroses, violam a blanket will do from sawdust or dry leaves 10-15cm thick.

Not only sissies-clematis and capricious-roses need the pre-winter care of an amateur gardener. Other heat-loving ornamental plants also require attention: hydrangeas, heathers, and conifers, as well as young, more winter-hardy plants that have not yet entered into force.

Trunk circle and root collar rhododendrons, especially young ones, should be well covered with a 15-centimeter layer of fallen leaves.

Buddlea requires pre-winter pruning. Cut twigs can be dug into the sod soil in the basement, and in the spring they can be planted in the ground - you will have a lot of buddles.

Mulching the tree trunks will help you get through the winter easier. hydrangeas and young coniferous.

A blanket made from a 10-centimeter layer of dry leaves or sawdust will please hyacinths, lilies, iris and other primroses. With this in mind, do not forget to remove the shelter in time in the spring.

Decorative vines, which for some reason you cannot remove from the support for the winter, can be insulated directly on it: pull the branches with a soft cord closer to each other and to the support, then wrap the plants well with several layers of spunbond, lutrasil or other breathable covering material, on top wrap in plastic. The insulation should be well secured with a cord.

With such a shelter, you can also insulate young heat-loving seedlings for the winter fruit trees - apricot, peach, almonds and other southerners whom you decided to accustom to our difficult climate is more harmful than the strip. This will also save them from the February sunburn - for evergreens it is not so much the winter cold as the winter sun that is dangerous.

Do not forget about such reliable insulation as snow... The task of the gardener and the gardener is to accept effective measures to snow retention: what more snow linger around the plant, the better.

The branches left over from the garden trimming, cut out stems of raspberries and berry bushes will perfectly hold the snow on the strawberry bed.

Stalks of corn, Jerusalem artichoke and sunflower, coarse stems of flowers, dried dill will also be appropriate for garden, berry and flower plantings.

Shelter of plants for the winter, carried out correctly, is insulation with a moderate layer of material suitable for a given plant, made on time and contributing to snow retention. Good dreams for your plants during hibernation!

November is approaching - it's time to equip the winter hut. Do I need to cover plants for the winter? - Alas, we must.

Neither you nor I contented ourselves with the original inhabitants of our harsh climate in our garden. For such exotic things as roses, lavender, boxwood, grapes you have to pay - do not spare time and energy for shelter of plants for the winter... You can, of course, take the risk and leave it as it is, but it's a pity to miss your favorite bushes and flowers in spring. IN best case, they will lose a significant part of the crown, at worst - not wake up at all.

What plants should be covered?

First of all, guests from warm countries or places with mild winters - this is lavender, boxwood, grapes. Not all types of sage and thyme (thyme) endure our winters without loss, you need to experiment with them. Clematis, most roses are also at risk. We also plant heat-loving cypress trees - without winter shelter, their crown is damaged.

Container plants - lemons, rosemary, etc. must be brought into the house at all. Even the tightest shelter will not save these southerners on the street.

Seedlings in pots, even the most winter-hardy ones (currants, Siberian cedars, spruces, pines) should be dug flush with the ground, flush.

Most thujas do not mind our winter cold, however, young thujas, up to 5 years old, it is better to warm them for the winter.

Tall thujas, slender junipers and winter-hardy cypress trees are recommended to be tied with stockings or wrapped in lutrasil so that their branches do not crumble and break under heavy wet snow. I confess that I do not do this for aesthetic reasons: we all year round we live in a village, and we brought conifers so that there would be no greenery in winter. Therefore, the old stockings on junipers do not suit me. But I have the opportunity to shake off the bushes after a snowfall. After the well-known Moscow catastrophic icing, she even heated the pine trees, freeing them from ice with the help of the Veterok electric heater

Risk factors:

Snowless ("black") frosts, strong and prolonged winter cold and, oddly enough, the bright March sun. Sun on background white snow damages tender young conifers. You can save them by covering them with a nonwoven fabric or by installing a screen on the south side.

Preparing plants for winter

Preparation for wintering is important not only for heat-loving plants. Even the native inhabitants Middle Band can hardly survive the harsh winter. If you are using fertilizers, stop feeding nitrogen in advance, at the end of summer. Nitrogen promotes the growth of the green mass, while by the fall, the ripening of the shoots is more important. For some perennials, it is recommended to remove flowers and buds by the end of September. Adding a thick layer of humus under the bushes will not only improve the soil, but also warm the roots in winter. After all, humus is both a fur coat and a stove.

What and how to cover

The method of shelter depends on the plant: its height, winter hardiness, susceptibility to mold damage, etc. I will outline the general principles.

Step 1. We remove from the support, lower it to the ground: roses, clematis, grapes.

Step 2... We fill the bushes with oak leaves. Oak itself does not rot, and prevents the spread of rot and fungal infection. We have our own oaks growing on the site, and nearby is a whole oak grove. I visit the grove with a large plastic bag, into which I tightly stuff the fallen leaves. If it is tight with oaks, you can cover it with dry leaves of other trees, sawdust or even dry peat.

Step 3. Cover the mountain of oak leaves wooden box... This is ideal. There are not enough boxes for all plants. Then they go carton boxes, plastic buckets, multilayer lutrasil, pressed by boards - any material at hand, for which there is enough imagination. What is not recommended to use is plastic wrap, under it the expanse of all kinds of rot and mushrooms.

I saw how some gardeners use spruce branches for winter shelter. I am against this method for ideological reasons - forest trees should not pay for our love of exoticism.

Step 4. Optional... When the first snow falls, it is advisable to warm it up on sheltered beds. Plants will be warmer.

When to shelter for the winter

The question is complex. You have to guess with the weather. Cover it too late - the plants will freeze, too early - they will rot. Most of all, one should beware of prolonged snowless, "black" frosts. As a rule, I cover the plants in the first half of November, with the onset of stable frosts.

When to open plants in spring

It is equally important to open the plants on time. Again, if you open it too early, the March sun will burn the bushes weakened by hibernation, if you miss the moment, you will create a space for infection in the dark, warm, moist depths of the covering material ... I open it when it has mostly snowed. And immediately after - a revitalizing nitrogen fertilization (boxes of urea on a bucket of water, or just lightly pour under decorative bushes).

It is a shame when a seemingly well-endured winter plant, so tender and green under a layer of oak leaves, quickly dies when it finds itself in the open air. It happens. That is life.

On the other hand, sometimes some clematis does not want to wake up in the spring. Others have already picked up the buds, but this one did not come out of the ground. Do not rush to put a cross on it, take place with another plant. It may still wake up with a great delay. It happens. This is an unpredictable life.

Good luck and snowy winter to you and your plants!