Generations of gardeners have been using burlap for many gardening tasks. Jute is a versatile fiber and is used to make rope, twine and other products along with burlap. Twine and burlap are safe to use in a vegetable garden. They can provide valuable nutrients to the soil as they decompose.

winter-burlap

Burlap is a useful barrier for weeds all around the year, particularly usefully in the garden during winter. Inexperienced gardeners frequently use just plastic as a protection against damage from frost, only to be disappointed when the plants get damaged because of moisture collecting under the plastic and freezing. Since burlap is permeable and doesn’t trap moisture, it is a safe material for use when covering the plants during a freeze. Covering the ground with burlap and around tender vegetation during early spring and winter months helps the ground to stay warmer, thus benefiting the plants.

 

Burlap tree wraps are used to wrap the trunk of thin bark or a newly planted tree. These wraps prevent sunscald on the tree bark during cold months. Jute erosion fabric prevents erosion by slowing the speed of the water and decreasing the amount of soil that has eroded. It also traps loose soil and prevent it from getting washed away.