Plants requiring shelter for the winter. Plant protection: choosing a covering material for the winter

In anticipation of the cold weather, it's time to think about covering material for plants to protect them from frost.

There are a large number of different covering materials, consider the pros and cons of each of them.

An overview of the available and free plant cover materials that are found in almost every garden.

The choice of plant cover material depends on the climate in your region and the type of plant.

Snow

Even the most very coldy not afraid of plants under the snow - this is the most convenient covering material. But snow does not always fall before the onset of frost and often melts during a thaw in winter.

On open areas snow can blow strong wind... Also, after the thaw, the snow cover is covered with an ice crust, the plants stop breathing and vythaet.

Snow works best in regions with stable snowy winters without thaws.

Lapnik

Easily available material that is used to protect plants from frost. The spruce leaves perfectly let the air through, the plants under the spruce branches do not vomit, do not rot, and retains the snow.

When snow falls, the needles are well retained and shelters for plants with an air gap will be created.

Thorns conifers scare away rodents, therefore they are often used for young seedlings fruit trees.

By itself, spruce branches are actually not a covering material against the cold, but rather contributes to the retention of snow, the spruce branches themselves do not create heat.

In spring, the needles crumble and acidify the soil, which is not suitable for all plants, especially those that prefer alkaline soil.

A lot of conifers suffer from various diseases, and the likelihood that you will bring pests and diseases into your garden is very high.

Currently, you can get a decent penalty for breaking branches in the forest - keep that in mind.

Foliage

Affordable and cheap stuff which is often used for plant protection. Foliage is in every garden, it perfectly protects plants from the cold.

But leaves also have a negative side - foliage cannot serve as a separate covering material and must be part of a multilayer shelter. Usually dry leaves are covered with polyethylene.

Dry foliage protects well, but with a thaw or the passage of rains, it gets wet, cakes and stops letting in air. With the return of frost, wet foliage is seized by a crust of ice, not missing needed by plants air.

Plants can grow dry under wet foliage.

Foliage from fruit trees can carry pests and diseases, it must be pre-processed.

Dry foliage must be prepared in advance.

Not all leaves are suitable for covering plants; birch leaves decompose quickly, for example. Therefore, use leaves as a covering material. oak, maple, walnut, chestnut.

Brushwood or plant branches

All lignified branches are used as shelter, they are available, slowly decay and die.

The brushwood does not protect against frost, but helps to retain snow.

Also, the branches behave very well as an insulating material between the ground and the plant.

But if the winter is snowless, the branches must be covered with waterproofing material.

Straw

An excellent covering material that protects plants from the cold, retains snow well.

If you do not cover the straw from moisture, it can rot and rot when wet. Therefore, straw is always used in a complex shelter with protection from moisture.

The big disadvantage of straw is that mice love it very much.

In spring, the soil thaws longer under the straw, so it must be removed from the plants on time.

Under cover tall plants it is better to collect it in sheaves with straw, then moisture will drain from the straw as from a roof.

Sackcloth

An affordable material that has been used for a very long time. Burlap perfectly permeates air, moisture, protects plants. Burlap is often used to shelter roses, protect conifers, and young tree trunks.

But burlap absorbs water well, it gets wet during a thaw, then freezes during frost, an ice shell is obtained and unpleasant processes for plants begin under the burlap - poor air access, damping off of plants, putrefactive diseases.

Sackcloth dries for a very long time after getting wet, which is very bad for plants.

If you are using old burlap sacks, they may contain various pathogens that can transfer to the plant.

After use, the burlap must be treated from pests and be sure to dry well.

Sawdust

Excellent thermal insulation, good air exchange and frost protection. But sawdust picks up moisture well, so the sawdust must be covered with a waterproofing material.

When mulching, do not use clean sawdust, it is better to mix it with peat or soil. Sawdust perfectly absorbs water, but it gives it off completely. During a thaw, they took away moisture, and frost sets in, the sawdust turns into an ice mass.

It is very good to use bags of sawdust as a shelter - they fill the bags with sawdust and protect them from moisture. In spring, it is easy and simple to remove such sawdust, they do not get wet and perfectly protect the plants.

Softwood sawdust acidifies the soil - remember this.

Spunbond

Agrofibre or spunbond- non-woven fabric, durable and light material, excellent air permeability and is able to protect plants from frost and sunlight.

In regions with severe frosts, spunbond is placed on plants in several layers. It is advisable to fix spunbond on frames so that there is an air layer and the material does not come into contact with plants.

Video - Top free covering materials for plants

Fallen leaves

Leaf mulching is very simple and quick way protect fragile shrubs and perennials that do not require winter pruning from frost.

To do this, take a twine, tie the top of the plant so as not to break the branches. Cover the root zone with dry healthy foliage to a height of 20 centimeters. You can also use fern leaves.

Having built such a structure, you will protect the plant root system from freezing even in the most severe frosts (-30C).

Fallen leaves applications

Lapnik

The pine-tree branch will be a reliable frost protection for hydrangeas, roses and other shrubs that are difficult to tolerate severe winter cold. To build a good protection, you must first mulch the root area of ​​the plant, and cover the upper part with pine or spruce branches. Even in severe frosts and snowless winters, spruce branches form a kind of greenhouse for the plant. By the way, this way you can also protect your roses or other shrubs from rodents who are afraid of thorny needles.

If there is no way to get spruce or pine spruce branches, then ordinary brushwood will do. This covering material perfectly holds snow, it does not rot, and allows the plant to "breathe". But in snowless winters, additional insulation is needed, since the brushwood itself will not protect the plant from frost.

Shelter options with spruce branches

Sackcloth

If in the fall you planted seedlings of fruit trees on the site, then be sure to cover them with burlap. Small conifers and shrubs can also be covered with this material.

The main advantage of burlap is that it allows air to pass through. There is no greenhouse effect on sunny winter days. When covering with burlap, leave a small gap at the bottom. When the snow falls, you can sprinkle it on the roots.

Here's how to cover with burlap

Wicker materials

If you need to cover small shrubs, unnecessary wicker products can be used, such as an old basket, a bread basket, an old lampshade, a deep wicker bowl. Never throw away rattan or willow wickerwork that is no longer in use. Under such products, your heat-loving plants will feel very good in winter!

This is how such shelters look like ...

Spunbond

Spunbond is a popular modern covering material. The canvas will protect shrubs from frost in winters with little snow. Grapes, roses, rhododendrons and other thermophilic crops do very well under such shelter. Agrofibre allows air and moisture to pass through, but at the same time protects from winds and light frosts. There are several ways to hide. You can just wrap up the culture if it comes about a small bush. But for tall plants with sprawling branches, it is necessary to build a frame from branches, and already lay a spunbond on top of the frame.

Important! To protect against severe frosts, it is necessary to use several layers of agrofibre, or think about additional insulation.

Today you can get very nice cover caps for plants made from spunbond.

Spunbond Shelters

Construction Materials

For winter shelter plants you can use some building materials: pipe trimming, wooden planks, boxes, roofing material.

The advantage of using such materials is that they exclude direct contact of the plant with the insulation. From pipes, slate, or from boards, you can build a kind of tent and lay agrofibre, burlap or spruce branches on top of it.

Important! Do not use materials for plant insulation that include chemical compounds and resin. Such building materials include drywall, fiberboard, cement-fiber boards. And for shelter fruit trees it is undesirable to use slate, although it is quite suitable for ornamental shrubs.

Another interesting option for warming with flower pots

And do not overdo it with insulation. Do not cover plants until frost. Only when a frozen crust up to 3 centimeters thick forms on the ground can shelters be built.

If you hurry, the plant will vanish and, with a probability of 80%, even die!

I described the materials that gardeners and gardeners mainly use to shelter heat-loving crops for the winter. How do you protect your plants from frost?

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Your house and cottage in the fall need special care as winter is just around the corner, and there are fewer and fewer warm days suitable for work. On land plot all living things seem to freeze in anticipation of extraordinary metamorphoses. Slowing down life processes, plants do their best to prepare for the most unfavorable time of the year.

However, often plants do not always manage to fully enter the hibernation season and successfully transfer it without human help. Everything appears on our sites every year more types and varieties native to warmer climates. Often these are already well-acclimatized hybrids, capable of more or less easily adapting to harsh weather conditions, although when compared with the local flora, these plants are noticeably inferior to them in terms of endurance.

Particularly at risk of death in winter period trees and shrubs, the ground part of which is not covered with protective insulating materials and snow during hibernation. Blown from all sides by a frosty wind, branches can get local frostbite, the worst of which is freezing and kidney death.
Touching upon the topic of winter hardiness of plants, it is important to understand that the hardiness of varieties to cold weather depends on many cumulative factors:

Cultivated plants brought from warm climatic zones, as well as local ones crossed with thermophilic varieties, rarely tolerate a drop in temperature starting from -25 ° C;

Long-term stay in low temperatures leads to the complete death of both ground and underground parts of heat-loving plants;

The vegetable garden in the fall is characterized by a destructive alternation of high humidity at a temperature of about zero with sharp freezing and thawing of the soil;

Late cold summers with prolonged rainy weather lead to a stretching of the vegetation process, when the seeds begin to ripen in the pre-autumn period, without having time to reduce the growth rate by winter;

Incorrect agricultural practices, excessive or late application of fertilizing rich in nitrogen, can significantly prolong all vegetation processes, bypassing high-quality preparation for seasonal hibernation.

Covering materials

Covering materials can be used for any plant in your area, both for decorative flower species and food.

Consider the main materials:

1. The coniferous lapnik, like the needles itself, individually has excellent snow-retention and heat-insulating properties.

2. Lutrasil is an artificial canvas of varying density, used as a common covering material over the soil, as well as when covering bulk structures and frames (for example, knocked together pyramids for conifers).

3. Ready-made mulching mixture of ecological natural ingredients, which can be easily purchased in any flower shop It is mainly used to shelter varieties that are sensitive to even the slightest fluctuations in temperature (often as a shelter for roses and other capricious crops).

4. Humus, fresh and rotted foliage of tree species, peat serve as a convenient material for mulching and hilling the covered area of ​​land.

5. Due to its density and high insulating capacity, kraft paper qualitatively protects against frost and temperature extremes.

All of these materials are capable of showing excellent frost protection, but it is worth taking apart the strong and weak sides shelters. So, with all the convenience of using lutrasil, one should not forget about its ability to insulate without producing sufficient air circulation. The heat accumulated inside can cause plants to overheat during even short winter thaws.

Kraft paper pleasantly pleases with its impermeability to light, as a result of which your pets (in particular, conifers) will not be threatened by any sunburn.

Vegetable mulch taken from natural environment may be infected dangerous pests and diseases, the manifestation of which will be noticeable already in the next growing season. Many gardeners and summer residents, preparing a garden and a vegetable garden for the winter, prefer to buy ready-made mulch, which can also act as a pleasant decorating material.

Shelter roses

Preparing the site for winter, gardeners are especially trembling with a high-quality shelter of roses. Today, there are a huge variety of their forms, for each of which there are certain rules for preparing for hibernation.

For example, climbing roses finish fertilizing with nitrogen-containing dressings already at the end of July - beginning of August. In October, unripe shoots are removed from roses to the place of ripening. Taking the moment, you can try to form a bush by cutting off old useless unproductive lashes.

It is advisable to cut off the foliage from the bushes or cut off with disinfected scissors - here as you like. It is advisable to bend the lashes themselves and fix them as close to the ground as possible so that they do not touch it.

Standard roses are also bent to the ground, trying not to damage the root collar, it is best to do this anatomically according to its apparent bend. When pruning, all other roses do not have to be bent down and freed from leaves, the main thing is that the remaining ground part allows high-quality covering material to be applied on top, especially if it is a box or fabric.

It is important to remember that the preparation of roses must be carried out at positive or near zero temperatures, since hiding roses in winter is more than a useless exercise - the flowers will die anyway. If you are used to hilling and covering the roses with a cloth, you have probably already encountered the problem of rotting and overgrowing of the bush. dangerous fungus... As a rule, this occurs due to a violation of the microcirculation of air inside the shelter, the accumulation and heating of moisture during thaws.

To prevent such unpleasant consequences it is important to keep a small breathing gap between the ground and the fabric. Special purchased “fur coat” -type shelters based on peat and sphagnum moss will help to absorb excess moisture. The latter, in turn, except thermal insulation properties has a good bactericidal and antifungal effect.

The finished mixture is usually simply poured over the huddled bushes with a layer of several centimeters and that's it - a reliable shelter of roses for the winter is ready! Such a mixture guarantees effective preservation during wintering of almost all plants on the site, except, perhaps, trees and tall shrubs, whose branches can still suffer from frosty winds.

Hiding chrysanthemums

Common chrysanthemums, cultivated by flower growers for many years, tolerate winter heat well. Modern Korean varieties do not differ in impressive bud sizes, but they are adapted to our weather in the best way.

After the chrysanthemums have faded, they must be cut and bent to the ground like roses. From above, the bushes can be covered with foliage or humus mulch, additionally covered with any waterproof material. As soon as the soil begins to thaw, you can lift the fabric (film), completely removing it only when the ground is completely thawed.

Beautifully flowering Indian chrysanthemums amaze with the size of the buds and intolerance to even the smallest drops in temperature. It is better not to leave these flowers outdoors for the winter. To preserve them, it is worth digging the underground part and placing it in a cellar or other little-heated dark room until spring arrives.

The ground part is cut to a height of 10-12 cm. It is advisable to use wooden "breathing" boxes for laying. Chrysanthemums laid in layers upwards are sprinkled with a substrate consisting of peat, sphagnum and coarse-grained river sand optional. Chrysanthemums should never be watered, since old roots can begin to take root, especially in the presence of at least a weak light source.

Shelter of clematis

Clematis beds also need special care in autumn. Depending on the variety, clematis are cut to a height of 30 cm to 1.5 m. All unnecessary vines are cut out, the rest are twisted like a ring or spiral and laid closer to the ground. As thermal insulation material any natural material that is sprinkled on the plants with a layer of 20–40 cm can be used.

The substrate must be well dried and porous. From above, clematis are additionally covered (if necessary) with a box or frame, as well as any waterproof material. Between the ground and top layer the shelter should leave a small gap.

This method of protection requires additional actions on the part of the grower. In winter, it is necessary to tread paths between the plants so that mice cannot enter the gaps. In the spring, with the arrival of the first thaws, it is important to remove the waterproof material (usually a film) in time to prevent clematis from burning.

Shelter bulbous

In order for the garden and vegetable garden to not experience great stress in winter, it is necessary to stock up on mulching natural material in advance, since, as practice shows, there is never a lot of it - there is always something that could still be covered. This is especially true for bulbous plants, since their underground part contains a lot of water and is subject to rapid freezing.

Perhaps the most unpretentious among the bulbs are tulips, some small-bulbous, colchicum, less often daffodils. Colchicum preferably planted in open ground no later than mid-August, so it does not require additional shelter, having managed to take root well. Landing in the 20th of October will require reliable cover.

Daffodils and some small-bulbous plants are recommended to be planted no later than mid-September. Tulips can be tolerated until mid-October. If the planting dates noticeably move forward, insulation for the winter is simply necessary. Daffodils and lilies generally they do not tolerate severe frosts, so it is advisable to play it safe and always cover these flowers.

To prevent the bulbs in the soil from getting wet, you can cover them with a film until the rains stop completely. Before the last preparations, dry mulch should be applied under the film in a layer of no more than 3-5 cm. You can leave a gap for breathing.

With the arrival of autumn, it is usually the shelter for roses that causes particular concern, and the importance of warming other plants in a number of cases is practically nullified. But do not forget that in our gardens and orchards there are more people from warm countries that require special attention. And so as not to be upset next spring the presence of flowers that have not risen, it is worth thinking now how exactly you will insulate the plants for winter.

How to properly cover plants for the winter video

Success in floriculture and good luck!

In the fall, the owners of plots with blackberry plantings, especially beginners, often face questions: whether it is necessary to cover the bushes for the winter, and if so, when it should be done. This article is devoted to the answers to these questions. We will tell you what materials are best for covering, when to cover and how to do it wisely.

What to take care of in the fall before hiding

In order for the blackberry to endure wintering more easily, before sheltering it is necessary:

1. Continue watering the bushes after harvesting until the onset of cold weather, if the weather is dry.
2. Thin the shoots, cutting off those that have already yielded, since they have served their time, as well as young branches. For 1 bush, 6 to 8 branches are enough. The remaining branches are shortened by about 20 cm.
3. Weed, loosen the ground.
4. Fertilize potash fertilizers without chlorine - this will make wintering easier.
5. Sprinkle the soil with sunflower leaves or hulls to protect the roots and retain moisture.
6. Remove the plant from the supports and gently press it to the ground. The closer to winter, the more brittle the bushes will be, so they need to be removed earlier. If the plant grows upright, you need to bend it down gradually, making the top heavier with some kind of weight.

Important! To avoid the spread of diseases and the reproduction of pests, pruning of blackberry bushes should be thrown into a fire.

When is the best time to start hiding

Blackberry bushes freeze at a temperature of about -17 ° C, a sharp drop in temperature is especially dangerous, which can destroy the plant even at -10 ° C. The best time for shelter, it occurs during a period when the temperature is constantly kept at the level of -5 ° C, that is, usually at the end of October or at the beginning of November (the time period may vary depending on the region).
If you cover the bushes ahead of time, then under the influence of heat they will continue to grow, and in the absence of light and ventilation, the young growth will rot and rot. The decay of roots and ground shoots is facilitated by condensation that forms under the shelter from excess heat and lack of air.

Important! High humidity is a companion of fungal diseases.

Thaws are dangerous, since the resulting moisture turns into ice during subsequent frosts, and blackberries die.

How can you cover a blackberry for the winter

For shelter, you can use improvised or purchased materials.

Materials at hand

Suitable materials for shelter are:

1. The soil- this type is time consuming, but gives a good effect. The disadvantages include difficulties in removing this type of shelter in the spring - thorns can scratch hands, and the remains of soil on the tops of the bushes cause increased growth of lateral shoots.
2. Snow- in the conditions of a snowy winter, it will reliably protect the plant, however, in the event of a thaw, it can be a dangerous source of excess moisture, which, when cold weather sets in, will freeze and damage the plant.
3. Vegetable tops- dried and healthy is used, which is harvested in the process of harvesting vegetables.
4. Hay and straw- both materials are easy to use, they are easy to remove in spring. Of the minuses, such a shelter can attract mice for the winter, which will willingly eat blackberry bushes.
5. Fallen tree leaves- this species is characterized by low labor intensity, but here it is important not to cover with foliage from fruit and berry trees, since pest larvae can be transmitted with it.
6. Corn leaves- this material is characterized by rigidity, therefore it can protect the shrub well, it also does not absorb water well. Leaves are dried after the corn is harvested or used naturally dried, laid in a thick layer. Keep the leaves healthy and free from damage.
7. Sawdust and shavings- not recommended for use due to the fact that they reduce the nitrogen content, acidify the soil, strongly absorb water, which then freezes into an ice block, and contribute to the reproduction of pests.
8. Peat- characterized by a high degree of moisture absorption, therefore it does not fit well.
9. Coniferous tree branches- a thick layer of this shelter allows the shrub to breathe, retains heat well, and repels rodents and pests.
10. Hulls of sunflower, buckwheat, rice- the material is good because it does not absorb water well, but it will take a lot to cover it.

The positive side the use of scrap materials is the absence of financial costs, negative - the impossibility of their use on large areas.

Did you know? In England, there is a legend that blackberries can only be harvested until October 11 - on this day the devil spits on it, and people who eat the berries picked after that date become unclean.

Synthetic materials

You can cover the blackberry using synthetic materials purchased in the store:

1. Film- its thick layer will serve good hiding place during a snowy winter, but can create problems if a thaw comes. In this case, a lot of moisture and heat is formed under it, which will lead to decay. Snow-free winters are dangerous, in this case there is a greenhouse effect, which is created on a frosty day by the sun and forms a high temperature under the film. After sunset, a drop in temperature leads to frostbite. Alternatively, you can put paper under the film or sprinkle it with sawdust on top.
2. Roofing material, pieces of old linoleum- the ease of use of this type of shelter resists fragility during frost.
3. Felt or synthetic winterizer- this type is suitable only for northern latitudes, where there are snowy and frosty winters, since during a thaw the material can pick up moisture, and the blackberries will rot.
4. Burlap - used as an additional covering material in conjunction with improvised shelter.
5. Non-woven fabric(spunbond, agrotex, lutrasil, agrospan) - the advantage of this type of materials is good protection from frost and the ability to pass air. It does not create a greenhouse effect, so you can cover it before the frost begins, and remove it long after it ends.
6. Styrofoam- protects well, but expensive and easily gnawed by mice.

Did you know? Styrofoam98% air.

These types of shelter can protect large areas planted berries, they can be used several times, but they require some financial investment.

How to hide

After graduation preparatory activities blackberries are pressed against the mulched soil as close as possible, being careful not to damage the fragile branches. If it is not possible to bend the bushes, they are covered with boxes made of plywood, slate. To film or nonwovens they are not frozen to the plant, a layer of mulch is poured under them from improvised materials or a frame is built that will not allow materials to come into contact with branches and leaves.

Non-woven material can be black and white, the difference between which is only that White color reflects the sun's rays better and is suitable for snowless winters. It also happens of different densities: material with a density of 100 g per 1 sq. m can be stacked in 1 layer, 50 g per 1 sq. m - in 2 layers. It is often recommended to cover with 2 layers of a thinner version. When choosing the width of the material, you should stop at 1.6 m.

Important! You do not need to try to wrap the shrub in a covering material, as in a diaper, the warmed soil gives off heat, and not the flooring, so try to cover more area around the plant.

The edges of the flooring must be pressed to the ground with something heavy (stones or sprinkled with earth) so as not to be blown away by the wind. It is recommended to put a layer of snow on top of the flooring to keep more heat.

Do I need to cover frost-resistant varieties of blackberries

Frost resistance characterizes the ability of blackberries to withstand low temperatures. However, the fact that the plant will survive does not mean that it will not suffer - in winters with little snow, the buds and tips of the shoots may freeze, as a result, the harvest will be poor. The most famous of the frost-resistant varieties is Agava, which can withstand more than -20 ° C. But young branches of this variety can freeze in such frost. Although new shoots will grow in their place in the spring, they will not give a harvest this year. Based on the above, frost-resistant varieties blackberries also need shelter, otherwise a weakened plant will not delight you with berries.

Thus, if you want to get good harvest blackberries, bushes for the winter must be covered, but this must be done correctly. For small plantings, available materials are suitable, for larger ones - synthetic (white agrofibre). Do not cover too early, however, or the plant will rot and die. Follow our recommendations, make the right shelter for blackberries for the winter, and you will definitely feel the difference.

Video: blackberry-how to properly cover

Before you learn how to cover trees for the winter, you need to understand why you need to do this. Many believe that sheltering bushes and trees for the winter saves plants from the cold, preventing them from freezing. And indeed it is.

But there is another very important reason: they are wrapped up so that rodents, hares and other animals cannot gnaw them, because in winter, when their reserves run out, the young bark of plants perfectly satisfies hunger.

In addition to frost and rodents, in winter, a cold gusty wind can harm your garden. It can dry out the bark of plants, damage the branches. Even the bright spring sun is not the best way for evergreen shrubs and trees. Unaccustomed to the sun's rays, plants receive the same sunburn as people who have not sunburned for a long time. Agree, the sensations are not pleasant.

The green mass of burned bushes is covered with yellow spots. The degree of damage can be so great that the bush can die.... Covering the bushes for the winter also prevents snow from damaging the branches, under the weight of which they can break.

How to cover bushes for the winter is the best way

It should be remembered that it is young plants that need protection first. They have not yet had time to get stronger and will not be able to withstand frosts, winds and animals on their own. So, let's take a close look at tips on how to properly cover shrubs and trees for the winter. In order to get started, you should prepare the materials necessary for this: pegs, peat, thick paper or film, fallen leaves and sawdust.

Previously, in September, plants should be watered abundantly, introduced into the soil, which accelerate the process of shoot growth. Also, pay attention to old or damaged branches, they should be deleted. To root system the tree is not frozen Special attention must be given near-trunk circle... It should be overlaid with sawdust and peat, thereby warming the plant. Young shrubs and trees need stronger protection from both frost and bark-loving rodents.

To do this, you need to drive in pegs (4 are enough) around the trunk of the plant. They should be the same height as the young tree itself. Next, we take thick paper or film and wrap it around the stakes, then sprinkle it with earth from below. We cover the constructed structure with leaves, snow, thereby providing reliable protection from frost and all kinds of pests.

Other methods of protection - alternative methods

In fact, there are many ways to shelter and protect trees for the winter. Every gardener uses the method he is most confident in being effective. Let's consider how else you can prepare plants for wintering. If the main task is to combat rodents, then you need to compact the snow cover around the trees. It's easy to do, you need to stamp it with your feet. Thus, rodents will not be able to crawl to the plant. Such "hilling" of trees should be done regularly, especially after precipitation.