Chumasande MatiwaneThe west of the country is known for major rainfall during the winter season. These heavy rainfalls are known for pummelling gardens and yards, destroying your growing shrubs. While no one can stop destructive weather, you can mitigate the rainfall damage by finding ways to protect your shrubs.
Effective strategies to use
Keep the Roots Safe with Mulch
Before the heavy rainfall begins, it is a good idea to fill the soil with mulch as much as you can. This helps insulate the soil and make sure the roots of your shrubs are strong and can withstand the rainfall in case of water washaways. Use mulch, like bark mulch, pine straw or even wood chippings, around the base of the shrub. Keep the mulch several inches from the trunk to prevent rot and discourage rodent chewing.
Use shrub covers
One of the easiest steps to making sure your shrubs are protected is using shrub protectors. There are many reasons to use winter shrub protectors. They help against the strong winter winds and rainfall and protect against freezing temperatures. When the weather warns of heavy rains, take the time to protect the shrubs in your garden. Shrub protectors are the correct investment and contribute to the overall protection of shrubs and small trees.
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Wrapping
Similar to shrub covers, they initially do similar jobs. For some shrubs and smaller trees, you may need to wrap them up using fabric, as this helps keep them safe from rainy conditions. If you have any larger shrubs, you can still use wrapping as an alternative, but be sure to use a heavy wrap so that it stays in place.
Row Covers
Using heavy row covers helps protect rows and beds of smaller growing shrubs from rain damage. With this method, it is important to leave extra room on either side of the row covers and weigh them down tightly before a major rainfall storm.
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ALSO SEE: FROST-TOLERANT PLANTS TO PLANT IN WINTER
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