Big Snow, Big Magic

Hello friends, there is nothing more beautiful and quiet than a winter snowfall.  This weekend, Big Snow is on the horizon for Virginia in the next few days.  In the flurry of grabbing supplies to be safe during the storm, I am thinking of your friends in the garden.  Trees, shrubs, and perennials are well-suited to adapt to most weather, but deep, wet snow and potential ice can be challenging.  We are on the cusp of heavy wet snow and potential ice storms closer South that could be damaging to our gardens.  I thought I would share some extra Garden Guidance for this snowy and icy weather event with very low temperatures.  And some tips to support our backyard birds over the days of extreme cold.  I hope this helps you prepare for next week.  
-warm thoughts, Wendell 

Garden Guidance 

Hopefully, this will relieve your worries.  Plants are resilient, and so are we.  

If you have been following along, your garden beds have a fluffy covering of mulch or fallen leaves to protect the root systems of your trees, shrubs, and perennials.  Mulch acts as nature‘s blanket to keep the root systems safe from freezing.   You may see some winter burn on evergreen foliage, and this usually can be pruned off in the Spring.  I generally do not wrap my plants unless they are newly planted or have tender foliage. If you happen to have burlap on hand, you can wrap your evergreen plants to help protect them from excessive ice, wind, or snow damage.

Light snow is not a problem for most plants.  Heavy, wet snow might bend branches dramatically. This happens to my boxwood shrubs every year. The branches splay open, and it looks like the shrub is going to break. If snow melts quickly, in a day or two, most plants will recover and straighten in a few days.  I tend to leave the branches alone because vigorous shaking will do more harm than good.  Pretend you’re putting your child’s arm into a jacket. Use a broom to gently lift the branch and move the broom up and down while supporting the branch to help the snow fall to the ground or use your other hand to knock some snow off. This can help reduce pressure on the shrub if the snow is wet, cold, and heavy, and will be in place for many days.

Ice is a different story.  Ice can cause damage to shrubs and trees.  Brittle or dead tree limbs can without warning, drop to the ground.  Avoid parking your car under trees if an ice storm is in the way, and be careful assessing your landscape if you have mature trees.  I recommend arborists assess your tree canopy in Winter to help with winter tree health, as well as identify problems before an ice storm occurs.  If your tree shrubs and perennials have a coating of ice, it is best to leave them alone and allow the ice to melt. Never shake or manipulate frozen branches or tree limbs. They are more liable to crack and cause more damage to your plants. 

In a nutshell, here is the best way to manage Snow and Ice in your Garden. 

Mulch is Nature’s Blanket:  Your fallen leaves, double-shredded hardwood, mulch, or pine straw is the best way to ensure your plants’ roots are snuggled into the earth with a blanket to keep them warm and resilient. This will also provide shelter for birds and overwintering pollinators.

Lighten the load of snow: If branches are in danger of breaking, you can gently remove the snow with a gentle assist. Help your shrubs and use a broom to carefully lift the branches. Or use your hands to brush the snow away.  

Let it Melt:  If branches are frozen, they might crack or break if you shake them.  Let icy branches alone and let the ice melt.  If snow started to melt and refreeze on the branches, it’s best to leave it and let it melt on its own.

And for your feathered friends, before the storm, they will be loading up on food before taking shelter.  

Fill Your Bird Feeder:  Birds know a storm is on the way. They will be looking for seeds in your garden beds and looking for food in your feeders before the storm. They furiously feed, and then once the storm begins, they will take shelter in your evergreen shrubs. That is why it’s so helpful to have Evergreen shrubs in your backyard so that birds can take shelter from the storm to stay warm and protected.