Covering conifers for winter: how to cover and protect conifers

Ornamental conifers look beautiful in parks, gardens, residential areas, and near administrative buildings. These evergreen trees not only exude a delicate pine aroma but also act as natural antiseptics. Walks in coniferous forests are beneficial for those with respiratory conditions. However, despite their low maintenance, young conifers require protection from the harmful effects of the environment during winter cold.

Dangers for conifers in the cold season

Young trees less than 3 years old are particularly vulnerable to cold. Their main enemies are:

• cold frosty wind;
• winter thaws accompanied by snowfalls;
• sun rays reflected from the snow.

Strong winter winds dry out branches, which, when frozen, become brittle and fragile. If possible, it's recommended to plant conifers along buildings, which will serve as a screen from the cold wind.

Winter thaws cause large amounts of snow to accumulate on tree branches, forming ice. Branches, weakened by the cold winter wind, often break under the weight of the ice.

Severe needle burns on young trees can occur at the end of winter, when the bright sun appears and its rays, reflected from the snow, cause damage to the coniferous trees.

Shelter from snow and ice

To protect lovingly planted yews, cypresses, and thujas, it's essential to cover them before winter frosts, especially when young. They can be wrapped in non-woven fabric and secured with staples or covered with special commercially available caps attached to stakes driven into the ground.

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Sun protection

To protect a young tree from the spring sun before heavy snowmelt, install a sunshade on the south side. A tent can be made from any readily available material:

• old sheets sewn together;
• old curtains;
• covering material.

If you don’t want to put up an awning, you can cover the coniferous trees with fabric from above and secure it.

Caring for conifers before covering

Before covering conifers for the winter, it's necessary to take a number of additional measures to help preserve young trees. In the fall, the following should be done:

• watering to a depth of 50-60 cm within the radius of the root system (in case of heavy rains, the procedure is canceled);
• adding vermicompost, compost, and dolomite flour will give plants the strength to survive the winter;
• Mulching with pine needles, spruce branches, sawdust, peat (hay is not recommended due to the possibility of rodents appearing) helps to preserve the root system;

Sheltering conifers for the winter

To cover a coniferous tree for the winter, first tie the branches loosely to the trunk with twine, preferably natural. Then wrap it:

• burlap;
• spunbond;
• agrofibre;
• lutrasil;
• kraft paper.

The edges are secured with a stapler.

Covering conifers on a trunk

Standard plants require special protection before the onset of cold weather. First of all:

1. Protect the grafting site from frost and wind. Wrap it with covering material and secure it securely.
2. They protect the crown so that it cannot hold the heavy weight of snow and breaks off at the grafting point.

Crown protection can be achieved in several ways:

• Iron rods are dug in around the perimeter, a metal mesh with small cells is wound around them, and a bag of burlap or other covering material is placed on top;
• a frame is knocked together from wooden slats, onto which covering material is stretched in several layers and attached with a stapler;
• for particularly delicate conifers (fir on the Icebreaker standard), wooden boxes with lids are knocked together;
• wrap the entire tree down to the ground with covering material.

By spending some time on these activities, you can protect your pets from the vagaries of the weather.

Conifer shelter

November and early December are suitable for covering coniferous plants for the winter.

Winter protection of medium-height shrubs

In the Moscow region, winter shelter for conifers varies somewhat depending on their size. To protect medium-sized plants from wind and sun, a wooden frame is most often constructed, wrapped in covering material, and secured with staples.

Winter protection for low-growing shrubs

For creeping junipers and other young conifers, creating a winter shelter is easy. Simply stock up on spruce branches and wrap them around the young plants in a cone-shaped formation.

Shelter for pine and spruce

Pine and spruce trees only require shelter during the first year after planting. To insulate a young tree, follow these steps:

• strengthen the conifer by attaching it to a support;
• mulch the soil around the trunk and cover with spruce branches;
• Cover the crowns and branches with covering material.

If the tree does not get stronger in the second year of life, shelter should not be neglected.

Shelter for larch

Larch is not afraid of cold, and the need for shelter disappears 2.3 years after planting. In areas with heavy snowfall, a tripod is installed over the plant. The top is covered with a suitable material: lutrasil, burlap, old sheets, etc.

Juniper shelter

This coniferous species is suitable for planting in garden plots for novice gardeners. For the first 3-4 years, junipers need to be protected from winter burns and also require insulation. Juniper branches are very sensitive to sunlight. First things first:

1. The branches are tied to the trunk with twine.
2. Wrap the plant with covering material or garden bandage.
3. Several metal pins are stuck around the tree, onto which a metal mesh is placed.

Cypress shelter

It's recommended to plant caparis in wind-protected locations, but it needs shade on a south-facing side. This is achieved by covering the coniferous plants for the winter. Most often, they are tied with fabric.

Covering thuja

Thuja It is a shade-tolerant plant, so it doesn't do well in full sun. On sunny, frosty days, it can get sunburned on the south side. It is recommended to wrap it in a light covering before the snow melts. Tall plants should be wrapped with twine.

Yew shelter

Protecting conifers like yew for the winter is essential for their survival. In the wild, yews grow in southern climates and therefore require winter shelter. It is recommended to tie the branches to the trunk with twine and protect them from the cold with a white cover, leaving a small opening for ventilation.

Fir shelter

Fir trees are native to Siberia, and as a winter-hardy plant, they require protection only when young. They can be covered with spruce branches, like a house, or with a cover, adding mulch underneath to protect the roots.

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In spring, don't rush to remove the cover. This should be done on a cloudy day, when the temperature rises to about 10 degrees Celsius. To help the plants fully recover from the winter frosts, you can simply spray them with warm water containing a growth stimulant.

If all recommended procedures are carried out promptly, conifers will easily survive the winter. Properly preparing plants for winter is always easier than trying to revive a damaged conifer in the spring.