North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Jim Fruth" <jfruth@tds.net>]

Goeffrey wrote:
     "Another technique that I've read of is to put a chicken wire cage
around the plant then in-fill with leaf mulch. This can provide several
different types of protection at once. I believe that this has been used
with hardy bananas in zone 5."

Goeffrey,
   Don't try that technique for winter protection.  My mother used to raise 
200 Hybrid Tea roses and every year she and Dad used to bury them using a 
technique that came to be called the "Minnesota tip."  When she heard about 
the chicken-wire with leaves in it, she tried it and lost every one of her 
prized plants.  By the way, those styrofoam plant covers are equally 
worthless for winter protection.

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Farm
Pequot Lakes, MN  56472
www.bberryfarm.com
(218)568-8483 [Store]
(218)831-7018 [My Cell]