“The best way to protect beds from frost is with aspen.” Does that sound too vague? You are not alone! Our reader felt the same way. “Don’t make a big deal about it,” advises Jana Bucharová and adds advice on how and why to use sedges in flower beds.
You can play the entire consultation directly HERE:
Recycling a decorated tree after the holidays by cutting it up and spreading it out in flower beds seems like a great idea. But will it really work? How are the thin needles supposed to protect the bushes? “They are rare, so it is not clear to many an inexperienced gardener how to actually protect the plants,” explains Jana Bucharová, an expert on garden topics from Receptář magazine, in a podcast consultation.
The sun and the storm
Do not imagine that aspen acts as insulation against frost. “White non-woven fabric is used for very delicate plants,” explains the expert. “They are hampered much more by the strong winter wind. And it also protects from the sun.” This can weaken plants in winter if it appears during the winter months, and especially in frosts. Thanks to the shivering, the plants do not get as much sunlight, so the sap does not flow in them prematurely and they are better able to wait until spring.
Just put it down
Protecting perennial beds is not complicated in this case. The branches really just need to be cut and placed. During the winter, check whether animals have dug up the protection somewhere. But isn’t it really late in January? It depends on how much it was and will be freezing. But in most places it’s an ideal time. And with branches from the tree, you can possibly strengthen the protection that you created already in autumn.
A prickly cage
However, even evergreen shrubs including herbs, such as lavender and resistant rosemary, will appreciate the small protection that can be provided by thistles. You shouldn’t cover them too much with branches so that enough light can reach them. “One layer is enough to protect against the wind,” says Jana Bucharová. “Try sticking twigs around the plants and possibly tying them lightly at the top.”
