In this article, you’ll find information about wrapping plants in burlap.
You’ll also find details on the benefits of wrapping plants using this material and trees and plants that require this protection.
Apart from plant wrapping, we’ve also included other creative uses of burlap in the garden.
Burlap Shrub and Tree Protection Cover
It’s common to find plants wrapped in burlap to protect from winter, snow, frost, and ice. Without this protection, such plants will likely die due to harsh conditions.
While that is true, not all plants need to be wrapped in burlap. Plants, remarkably hardy in winter, can withstand harsh conditions.
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Burlap Wrap for Plants
Burlap serves a wide range of uses that help protect trees from harsh weather conditions and so on.
To be more specific, burlap prevents ice damage, reduces moisture loss, keeps the plant safe from salt damage, and shields it from ice damage.
Other benefits of wrapping plants with burlap include protection from pests, keeping plants warm, and reducing moisture loss.
If the survival of your plant matters, then you’ll take every action necessary to ensure it’s well taken care of. Let’s briefly discuss these points before moving on.
ii. Preventing Ice Damage
When ice storms happen, varying levels of damage are seen to trees and plants. The steady accumulation of ice on a plant will cause it to give way under the weight.
This could affect growth or deform the plant. To prevent this damage, you’ll need to have these plants wrapped adequately with burlap.
iii. Reduce Moisture Loss
Young plants need to be protected from harsh winter conditions. Most times, dry winds tend to blow steadily in the cold season. When this happens, it affects moisture conditions in plants.
With the loss of moisture, plants are likely to die off. To prevent this, you’ll need to have your plants wrapped in burlap.
The simple act of wrapping these trees in burlap promotes moisture retention, which keeps the tree hydrated and alive until spring, when the weather is more favorable.
iv. Keeping the Plant Safe from Salt Damage
You might wonder about the connection between young trees and salt, significantly when these trees aren’t grown around coastal areas.
The connection is this: Salt is often sprayed along sidewalks, driveways, and pathways in the winter season. This helps melt the ice, thus making it easier to move around.
Now the problem is trees get affected adversely as their root systems come in contact with sprinkled salt. With the help of burlap, this is prevented as it keeps young trees safe.
v. Protection from Pests
Plants are easy targets for pests and cause all sorts of damage, including chewing on leaves, sucking plant juices, or laying eggs which later hatch into larvae that burrow through.
With burlap, the tree is shielded from pest activity while the tree grows undisturbed.
vi. Keeping Plants Warm
With freezing temperatures, young plants will need some warmth to stay alive. This is where burlaps come in handy.
Trees wrapped with these can keep warm and winterize with little to no problems. While shielding trees from the cold, burlaps are designed to be breathable.
Not All Plants Need Burlap
When it comes to planting protection, not all require wrapping in burlap.
Examples of perennials left without covering, or wrapping includes pansies, hostas, primrose, kale, cyclamen, cypress topiary, wheeler’s dwarf Japanese orange, peony, Siberian iris, coneflower, American mountain ash, etc.
Other plants aren’t tolerant of freezing temperatures like in winter.
These should be wrapped in burlap. Examples include banana, agapanthus, cordyline, canna, helianthus major, echium pininana, pelargonium, olive, tree fern, and pineapple lily.
A lot of young trees also need burlapping, especially when left outdoors. With this said, knowing how to go about the process is essential. In other words, how does one wrap plants in burlap?
The process isn’t complex at all.
Burlap Shrub Covers for Winter
Plants are shielded in multiple ways using burlap.
These can either be covered or wrapped with breathable material. Each approach helps achieve specific objectives. So, what’s the difference?
Let’s find out.
i. Covering Plants with Burlap
When plants are covered with burlap, the objective is to protect them from winter burns.
This condition, where winter sunlight coupled with depleted soil moisture, damages the plant. About 3 to 4 stakes or more are provided to hold the material.
Of course, you’ll need a burlap bag or sheet.
Place your stakes around the plant in the most suitable way with a few inches of space between the plant and stakes. Next, you’ll need to cover or drape your burlap over the stakes.
Consider using a double burlap layer to provide better coverage and protection.
Now, the material needs to be secured in place. Staples will serve this purpose. While covering your plants with burlap, ensure the sides don’t come in contact with the leaves.
This is necessary to help safeguard the plant from damage when the burlap becomes wet and freezes.
ii. Wrapping Plants in Burlap
If covering plants with burlap isn’t your objective, you might find wrapping a more reliable alternative. With your burlap ready, cut a twine (preferably jute or cotton) to wrap around the base of the branches.
This is the preparatory phase to wrapping.
Branches need to be secured before the plant is wrapped. Slightly push up these branches and wrap them around the base. This should be done in a way that they don’t break.
With the branches in place, you’ll need four stakes to be driven into the ground.
Ensure that these are 12 inches taller than the plant. A distance of around 6 inches is needed between the bundled plant and the stake.
Having driven these stakes to a depth of 8 inches into the ground, they should form 4 corners around the plant.
At this point, you’ll need to secure the burlap with staples to attach it to one of the stakes. Now wrap around the stakes until a good job is done.
There should be excess material left at the bottom. Now your plant is wrapped in burlap.
Our discussion shows that wrapping plants in burlap isn’t a complex process. You only need a little guidance, such as the one provided above.