In this email look for the following: Winter and Shrubs - ELetter

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As we prepare once again for the possibility of winter weather, trees and shrubs are not usually the first thing on our minds.  We must first have bread, milk, and pet food.

The biggest problem we have with plants in winter is normally breakage.  Once a blast of wintry precipitation blows through, we get to assess the situation and perhaps play and have fun for a few days.  Residents from points further north tend to be aware that any snow that needs to be moved will be moved much more easily before the sun has a chance to create some internal melting followed by refreezing.

If there is enough snow to bend plants down, a gentle brushing with a broom or rake will often remove most of it and allow the plants to spring back - if you do it early.  I don't know all the physics of snow melt, but I do know that if you wait a day, that snow may be much more solid and difficult to remove.

With re-frozen snow, sleet, or frozen rain on plants, there is little we can do besides wait.  We are more likely to do damage by trying to remove hard ice.  These plants may be bent under the weight for several days depending on weather, and sometimes permanent damage is done.

One further thought is to watch out for snow coming off roofs.  Sometimes enough of it comes suddenly to do major damage to plants (or people!) beneath.  So if you're watching day by day for that Daphne to bloom, and there's a load of snow on the roof above it, you may think of propping a sheet of plywood against the house temporarily.  You probably won't cover all your plants that way, but you may protect that special favorite.

And who knows?  Weather forecasters have been known to miss their predictions.