That plastic thingie

On a recent walk, JWD asked, "What are those plastic thingies around the bottom of trees?" Nearly all the trees on the sidewalk strip of next door's condoplex have them.

I speculated wildly in my best authoritative librarian voice, which seemed to satisfy his curiosity. But mine was piqued, so later I turned to a favorite garden guide: The Truth About Garden Remedies** by Jeff Gillman.

Gillman's book is an encyclopedic examination of home remedies for the garden. You'll learn the history, theory, and practice of each remedy, along with Gillman's report on his own experiments to test the remedy. Myth Busters for your yard.

Turns out my fancy guesswork about the plastic thingies -- a "tree wrap" -- was darn close (protection against pests, lawn equipment, frost cracks). Gillman's conclusion is that they are largely unecessary, especially in Portland's climate, and that the plastic ones can do far more harm than good.

** Book featured for purchase : see bottom of page