Shrubs and Winter Snow Protection

Long cold spells can cause plant tissue to die.

Harsh winter winds, freezing temperatures and heavy snows can do a number on plants and shrubs. While you can't prevent snow, you can protect them against snow and cold damage.

Snow Damage

Snow can pile up on your shrubs. A couple inches won't hurt your plant, but a foot or more can weigh down your branches, distorting or breaking them. Melting snow can turn into ice, which has the same effect on shrub branches.

Environmental Damage

While snow itself can damage your shrubs, the cold temperatures associated with snow also hurt plants. If the frost heaves as the ground freezes and unfreezes, shrub roots can become damaged by the contracting soil. Long cold spells can cause plant tissue to die, and bright winter sun can scald shrub tissue, leaving it sunburned.

Protection

The University of Minnesota advises wrapping shrubs in burlap to protect them from cold temperatures. The wrapping protects individual limbs from breakage, since the snow rests on the burlap covering, not on the branch. Cover your tree with burlap, pinning the fabric together with pins. Cover all branches and trunk tissue. Remove the covering in the spring.

Prevention

Early fall pruning can remove some branches that are more susceptible to snow damage. Remove weak, thin branches that are more likely to snap.

References

• University of Minnesota: Protecting Trees and Shrubs Against Winter Damage