7 Best Burlap for Gardening to Protect Plants in Winter

That first hard frost on the forecast always brings a familiar feeling of urgency, a rush to protect the tender plants you’ve nurtured all season. You look at your young fruit trees, your prized hydrangeas, and your evergreen shrubs, knowing a harsh winter can undo months of work. The right protection is not just an insurance policy; it’s a critical part of stewarding your garden from one season to the next.

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Why Use Burlap for Winter Plant Protection?

Many gardeners mistakenly think of burlap as a warm winter coat for their plants, but its true function is far more nuanced. Burlap’s primary job is to act as a barrier against three major winter threats: wind desiccation, sunscald, and heavy ice or snow loads. The coarse, open weave of natural jute fiber allows air and moisture to pass through, preventing the suffocating, mold-friendly environment that plastics create. It breathes, which is the most important quality in any plant wrap.

Unlike plastic sheeting, which can trap heat on a sunny winter day and cause damaging freeze-thaw cycles, burlap moderates the plant’s environment. It blocks the harsh, drying winds that strip moisture from evergreen needles and tender bark, a condition known as winter burn. For broadleaf evergreens like rhododendrons or newly planted shrubs, this protection can be the difference between a vibrant spring return and a dead, brittle plant.

Ultimately, using burlap is about creating a microclimate. You are building a temporary shield that reduces environmental stress without creating new problems. Whether you’re constructing a simple windscreen on the windward side of a hedge or fully wrapping a delicate Japanese maple, burlap provides protection while respecting the plant’s need to breathe and interact with the ambient environment.

Jobe’s Burlap Roll: Best All-Purpose Choice

When you need a reliable, go-to roll that can handle a little bit of everything, Jobe’s Burlap Roll is the answer. This is the workhorse roll you’ll find in most garden centers for a reason: its medium-weight weave is a perfect compromise. It’s dense enough to block damaging winds and prevent sunscald on tree trunks, yet light enough to drape over shrubs without crushing them.

Think of this as your general-purpose tool for a mixed garden. It’s ideal for wrapping the trunks of young fruit trees to prevent rodent damage and sunscald, creating windscreens for rows of boxwoods, or even laying over a dormant perennial bed for an extra layer of protection against a sudden cold snap. The standard 3-foot width is versatile for most common tasks, from wrapping an arborvitae to covering a raised bed.

If you’re a hobby farmer with a diverse set of needs and don’t want to buy multiple specialty types, Jobe’s is your starting point. It’s not the heaviest-duty option for extreme climates, nor is it the most convenient for wrapping dozens of identical plants, but its balanced performance makes it the most practical choice for the majority of winter protection jobs.

Sandbaggy Burlap Fabric: Heavy-Duty Option

For those in climates where winter isn’t just a season but a serious adversary, Sandbaggy Burlap Fabric is the reinforcement you need. This burlap is noticeably thicker and features a much tighter weave than standard garden-grade rolls. Its primary advantage is its sheer durability against punishing winds and heavy, wet snow that can tear lesser fabrics.

This is the burlap you choose when your garden is on an exposed hillside or you live in an area prone to blizzards. Use it to construct robust A-frame shelters over prized shrubs or to build windscreens that absolutely cannot fail mid-season. The dense weave offers maximum protection from windburn, making it an excellent choice for protecting sensitive evergreens that are prone to browning.

If your main concern is structural integrity and maximum blockage, Sandbaggy is the right investment. It is overkill for a calm, protected backyard in a moderate climate, and its weight can be too much for very delicate plants without proper staking. But when you need to be certain your protection will still be standing after a nor’easter, this is the fabric to trust.

Agfabric Plant Cover: Pre-Made Burlap Bags

Time is the hobby farmer’s most precious resource, and that’s where Agfabric Plant Covers shine. These aren’t rolls of fabric but pre-sewn burlap bags, complete with a drawstring at the bottom. Their value is pure efficiency. Wrapping a dozen blueberry bushes or container-grown figs goes from a time-consuming project to a simple, repeatable task.

These bags are designed for uniform plantings. Think rows of shrubs, a small grove of dwarf fruit trees, or a collection of potted plants you’re overwintering outdoors. You simply slip the bag over the top, pull the drawstring snug at the base, and move on to the next one. This eliminates the need for cutting fabric, fumbling with twine, and ensuring a secure wrap every time.

If you prioritize speed and convenience for multiple, similar-sized plants, these bags are a game-changer. They are less versatile than a roll for odd-shaped plants or for building custom screens. However, for standardized protection, the time saved is well worth the specialized format.

Gardeneer by Dalen: Top Shrub Wrap Pick

Gardeneer’s Shrub Wrap is a specialized tool for a specific, common problem: protecting upright shrubs from being splayed open and broken by heavy snow and ice. Unlike standard, wide burlap rolls, this product often comes in a long, narrower format, designed to be wrapped spirally around plants like arborvitae, junipers, and boxwoods.

The goal here is less about creating a microclimate and more about providing structural support. By wrapping the shrub from bottom to top, you are essentially binding its branches together, preventing them from catching heavy snow and bending until they snap. It’s a simple, effective technique that preserves the natural form of your valuable landscape plants.

This is not your all-purpose fabric for building windscreens or covering garden beds. Choose Gardeneer’s wrap specifically for protecting the architectural integrity of your upright evergreens. For that single, crucial task, its specialized form and medium-weight fabric are perfectly suited to the job.

Dayton Bag & Burlap: Bulk Roll for Large Gardens

For the hobby farmer with a small orchard, a long windbreak hedge, or extensive garden beds to cover, buying small rolls from the garden center is simply not economical. Dayton Bag & Burlap offers large, bulk rolls that dramatically lower the cost per square foot. This is about scaling up your operation efficiently.

A 100-yard roll of burlap opens up possibilities. You can build long, continuous windscreens, cover entire sections of your garden to prevent winter weeds, or wrap dozens of tree trunks without worrying about running out. This is also the smart choice if you use burlap year-round for other projects, such as for weed blocking in pathways or as a rustic material for farm projects.

If you measure your burlap needs in dozens of yards instead of feet, a bulk roll from a supplier like Dayton is the most logical and cost-effective solution. For someone with just a few shrubs to protect, the large roll would be cumbersome and wasteful. This is a purchase for those who have planned ahead and know their needs are significant.

Fencer Wire Burlap: A Durable Windscreen

Sometimes, the burlap itself isn’t enough; you need a rigid structure to support it. Fencer Wire Burlap, or burlap designed to be attached to wire fencing, is the solution for creating semi-permanent, heavy-duty windscreens. The idea is to build a frame—often with T-posts and wire fencing—and then affix the burlap to it.

This method is ideal for protecting an entire garden bed, a row of newly planted trees, or a sensitive hedge from a prevailing winter wind. The fence provides the strength to withstand powerful gusts, while the burlap provides the solid barrier. This is a far more durable and reliable setup than a few stakes and a loosely wrapped piece of fabric.

This is your choice for building dedicated, season-long windbreaks, not for wrapping individual plants. It requires more upfront work to install the posts and wire, but the resulting structure is unmatched in its stability. If you have a recurring wind problem in a specific area, building a burlap fence is a proactive, long-term solution.

Bur-Lap Treated Burlap: For Rot Resistance

In regions with mild but relentlessly wet winters, like the Pacific Northwest, standard untreated burlap can begin to rot and fall apart by late winter. Bur-Lap and other treated burlap products are impregnated with a rot-resistant compound to extend their lifespan in damp conditions. This ensures the protection you put up in November is still intact in March.

This treatment is designed to solve a specific environmental challenge. The burlap will hold up against constant rain, sleet, and soil contact without degrading. This makes it an excellent choice for wrapping the base of trees or for applications where the burlap will be in contact with moist ground for months on end.

If you garden in a climate where "damp" is the default winter state, treated burlap is a wise investment in reliability. For colder, drier climates where the burlap spends much of the winter frozen, the treatment is likely unnecessary. Some organic growers may also prefer to avoid treated materials, making natural jute the better choice for their practices.

Choosing Your Burlap: A Gardener’s Guide

Selecting the right burlap isn’t complicated, but it does require matching the material to the mission. Before you buy, consider three key factors: the plant, the climate, and the scale of the job. A thoughtful choice here saves time, money, and frustration down the road.

First, assess the weave density. A tighter, heavier weave (like Sandbaggy) is best for blocking extreme wind and heavy snow. A lighter, more open weave (like a standard Jobe’s roll) is better for general use where breathability is a top priority and you want to avoid crushing delicate branches.

Next, consider the form factor.

• Rolls: The most versatile option for custom-fitting screens, wrapping large or irregularly shaped plants, and covering beds.
• Bags: The fastest option for protecting numerous, uniformly sized shrubs or containers.
• Wraps: Specialized narrow rolls perfect for providing structural support to upright evergreens.

Finally, think about the material and quantity. For consistently wet winters, a treated, rot-resistant burlap is worth the extra cost. For large-scale needs, buying in bulk from a supplier like Dayton Bag & Burlap is far more economical than purchasing multiple small rolls. Your goal is to buy what you need for the job at hand—no more, no less.

How to Properly Wrap Plants with Burlap

Putting up burlap is easy to do, but it’s also easy to do wrong. The most common mistake is wrapping the burlap directly against the plant’s foliage or bark. This traps moisture, reduces air circulation, and can lead to mold, rot, and more damage than the winter weather itself. The key is to create an air gap between the plant and the burlap.

To do this properly, install three or four sturdy stakes (wood or metal) in a perimeter around the plant, a few inches away from its outermost branches. This creates a frame. Then, wrap the burlap around the outside of the stakes, not around the plant itself. Start at the bottom, overlapping each layer by a few inches as you spiral upwards, and secure the fabric to the stakes with twine or heavy-duty staples. Leave the top open if possible to allow heat to escape on sunny days, unless you are specifically protecting against heavy snow loads.

Timing is also critical. Wait until after the ground has had a hard frost and the plant has gone fully dormant, typically in late fall. Wrapping too early can trap heat and confuse the plant. In the spring, remove the burlap once the threat of the last hard frost has passed. Leaving it on too long can inhibit new growth and create a haven for pests.

Choosing and using the right burlap is a small act of foresight that pays huge dividends in the spring. It’s a simple, effective tool that allows you to work with nature, mitigating winter’s harshest effects on your most vulnerable plants. With the right protection in place, you can rest easy knowing you’ve given your garden its best chance to emerge healthy and vigorous when the growing season returns.