By Skyrocket
United Kingdom 
Hi - I live 300m above sea level in West Yorkshire. The garden is exposed to drying winds. I have 3 pencil junipers (young - only 2m high) that I want to protect from snow and frost this winter. Horticultural fleece seems to be the answer - but how should I apply it? Should I bind it tightly or loosely? Should I cover the top or leave it open? Should I go right down to the ground or leave the base open for natural watering (the junipers are in "holes" in a patio so don't get water from the surrounding soil)? Thanks for reading this!
10 Dec, 2011
Answers
I agree that wind rather than the cold is likely to be a problem. It might be better to construct square frames covered in fleece to put around them, leaving open completely at the top. The risk is the wind will cause them to look more like a normal juniper than the pencil thin ones like Sky Rocket which don't keep their slender shape up here. If you do have problems get green horticultural wire and wire the tree to keep in shape.
10 Dec, 2011
Plus I'd add that they will be getting a reasonable supply of water - their roots will spread beneath the patio flags and seek out what they need, and the area beneath flagstones is always a lot damper than open ground in dry periods.
10 Dec, 2011
In your situation ( I used to live there myself) if you use the frames with fleece round the problem will be the actual frames blowing away on a really wild night, so you would need to anchor them very firmly. You might try "planting" the uprights in large and stable pots filled with heavy compost and some big stones. If you try to sink them in the planting holes in the patio there is the danger of damaging the roots. I wonder what MG would think of using a double layer of very fine netting rather than fleece, which would possibly have less wind resistance?
You could put that directly round the trees without using a frame.
10 Dec, 2011
how about the plastic things the forestry use to stop deer,rabbits etc eating young trees then bang in till the plants adapt and grow stronger a stake at an angle and tie it of to the plastic . maybe wrap a bit of chicken wire round it to . once its settled in im guessing you can take it all of .
11 Dec, 2011
NP, I don't think you could bang in a stake at an angle because the trees are in holes in the patio. Worth remebvering for trees in the ground though.
11 Dec, 2011
oops sorry lol x .
12 Dec, 2011
Steragram netting could well work and could stay on all winter.
12 Dec, 2011
you could push like old tent pegs in the gaps as its only tempry steragram x .
12 Dec, 2011
I suppose you could. Lots of options there anyway. Thanks MG.
12 Dec, 2011
your welcome sterogram x x .
13 Dec, 2011
Welcome to GoY!
Junipers are very hardy, growing wild up here in the highlands where they survive through everything at levels even higher than 300m. I would not think they would need protection, but others may think differently. Wind might be a greater problem than cold, given their shape. See what others say.
10 Dec, 2011