Tree or plant protection mat

A tree or plant protection mat, comprising:

• a semipermeable top cover plate comprising woven polypropylene fabric, woven polyethylene fabric, or a combination thereof;
• a center layer disposed beneath the cover plate and comprising superabsorbent polymer particles selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid polymer, polyacrylate polymer, starch-grafted polymer, polyacrylamide, ethylene maleic anhydride polymer, carboxymethylcellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene oxide, starch grafted copolymer of polyacrylonitrile, Group IA salts of polyacrylic acids, copolymer of two or more thereof, and any combination thereof;
• and
• a semipermeable bottom layer disposed beneath the center layer;
• wherein the top cover plate and semipermeable bottom layer are sealed together at their perimeter edges, by sewing, gluing, heat sealing, or any combination thereof, to sandwich the center layer between the top cover plate and semipermeable bottom layer;
• wherein the top cover plate is semipermeable to water, and allows water in the form of moisture, precipitation or watering to flow through to the center layer, and reduces evaporative water loss from the center layer;
• and
• wherein the semipermeable bottom layer permits water to seep out from the center layer onto the ground, when the mat is placed on the ground near a trunk or stem of the tree or plant;
• wherein the mat does not have a hose fitting or other opening for connecting to a water hose.