Things You'll Need

Instructions

1

Measure about 3 inches from ground level to the top of a small or newly planted tree or to the top of its trunk. On larger trees, covering all of the branches is usually an impossible feat.
2

Insulation cloth is made of felts, wools or synthetic materials and is easy to cut with scissors. (You can buy insulation cloth or blankets at home improvement stores.) Cut insulation cloth or blankets to the height you measured. Measure the diameter of the tree and add another 3 inches for stapling allowance.
3

Wrap the cloth around the bottom of the tree or trunk about 3 inches from the ground. Pull the fabric tight. Align the right and left edges of the cloth. Hold the fabric edges and staple the cloth together, forming a seam. Don’t staple directly into the tree. If you penetrate the bark, moisture, mold and disease may gain a foothold.
4

Continue wrapping the trunk or tree with the cloth, but not as tightly as you did around the bottom. Air needs to circulate within the insulation. Align the fabric edges. (The "Gardening Life" website suggests stapling the edges together every 4 inches.)
5

Cut burlap to the same measurements as the insulation cloth. Repeat the wrapping-and-stapling process, using the burlap to cover the previously installed insulation layer. You can find burlap at fabric and craft stores.
6

Once spring has arrived and there is no further danger of frost or freezing, remove the staples from the tree wraps in stages over a period of two weeks. Slowly expose the tree to the sunlight.

Leaving tree wraps in place after winter has passed can lead to excessive moisture-retention, mold, disease and stunted growth.