Keep SteadySpring Tree Mats in place for 1 year plus 1 year per inch of caliper (e.g. 2 years for 1inch caliper trees, 3 years for 2inch caliper trees) to establishment of the trees in the new environment. Rated life of SteadySpring Tree Mats is 3-5 years. Leave out year-round - even in climates! They refill themselves with snow and rain while protecting your plants against freezing temperatures and deicing salts! Cover with wood chips or coarse-structured mulch to help prevent direct sunlight exposure, while returning nutrients to tree , reducing evaporation, providing insulation to the root system, and keeping the SteadySpring mat from stolen! Do not use dirt/soil/fine sand/fine-structured mulch to cover SteadySpring Tree Mats because the small particles may block rainwater! Weed barrier on top suppresses weeds and other plant life from utilizing water your plants need. To Fully Charge, Soak for 1-3 hours, Water the plant once, and then Set it and Forget it for 30+ Days or more. SteadySpring saves you water, stress, and time, and frees you to travel without having to worry about your plants!Steady Spring has a weed barrier top to plants and weeds growing around the root system that normally steal water and nutrients. This allows for less water to be used., Weight: 0.38139971326 Pounds, Manufacturer: Jealaper