A Guide to Protecting Your Plants From a Snow Storm

When snow is in the forecast, concerns usually center around power outages, school closings and dangerous driving conditions. But you might also worry about your outdoor plants and how they’ll survive the storm. The truth is, most plants can weather snowstorms just fine on their own, while some may need help to avoid permanent damage. It really depends on the plant and the amount of snowfall. Ahead, we break down the best winter plant care tips with expert Sharon Yiesla, Plant Knowledge Specialist with the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum.

Understanding How Snow Affects Plants

Snow can both help and harm outdoor plants. A bit of snow cover actually helps insulate perennials and groundcovers from drying winter winds and freezing temperatures. It also insulates the ground, protecting delicate roots and bulbs from frost damage.

However, heavy snowfall can crush plants or break branches, particularly evergreens. “The branches may just bend under the weight, or they may break if the snow load is very heavy or if the snow is mixed with freezing rain,” Yiesla says. Large piles of snow from storm cleanup can also crush shrubs and bushes.

Which Plants Need Protection?

“Most outdoor plants don’t need protection,” Yiesla says, but evergreens, deciduous plants and new plantings will benefit from some additional winter plant care. “Among the evergreens, we sometimes see more damage on arborvitae given their open structure with multiple trunks that can catch and hold snow,” Yiesla says. “Deciduous plants that have delicate stem structure, like small Japanese maples, could also be at risk from the weight of heavy snow.”

Also, if you live in an area that doesn’t typically get snow, your plants may need some extra protection to survive freezing temperatures, snow and ice.

Tender vs. hardy plants

Whether a plant is considered hardy or tender will be determined by the USDA Hardiness Zone where you live. Hardy plants can survive the lowest winter temperatures in your hardiness zone, while tender plants cannot. For example, a plant considered hardy in the south may be considered tender, or even an annual in the northeast. It’s best to cultivate hardy plants for your zone that can survive winter without protection.

Preparing Plants for Snow

Protect plants ahead of the storm for the best results. Here’s how:

• Loosely tie together evergreen branches that tend to splay open, like arborvitae. “Using something flexible, such as strips of fabric or old pantyhose, loosely tie the branches together so they don’t bend under the weight of snow,” Yiesla says.
• Add stakes around deciduous shrubs to mark their place and avoid piling snow during storm cleanup.
• “Enclose ornamental grasses in large tomato cages or enclosures made of heavy wire to keep the grasses upright,” Yiesla says.
• Protect young or tender plantings with wooden A-frames.
• For snow in atypical areas, use sheets or cloth tarps to temporarily cover low-doming shrubs with woody branches and bring potted plants inside. Avoid covering more delicate plants that could be crushed flat by the weight of the snow.

Protecting Plants During the Storm

During the storm, monitor evergreens and deciduous trees and, if possible, periodically remove heavy snow. “For evergreens, snow can be gently brushed off the branches. If the snow has frozen to the branches, or if it requires a vigorous shake to remove the snow, it is best just to leave the snow alone and let it melt off naturally,” Yiesla says. “At cold temperatures, branches can become brittle and shaking them too hard could cause them to break. Gentle brushing can also be used on deciduous trees and shrubs that might have accumulated a heavy snow load.”

Avoid wrapping plants if possible

“Wrapping plants is not really the best option for snow protection,” Yiesla says. “A wrapped plant could collect a larger quantity of snow and be more at risk for damage. Wraps can also get wet on milder days, and that can be harmful to the plant,” Yiesla says. Evergreens should never be wrapped because they need to absorb light through their needles.

FAQ

Should I leave snow on my plants?

Accumulated snow that is not breaking branches or crushing plants can be left alone. A good winter care practice is to gently remove heavy snow from the branches of evergreens, deciduous trees, and young plantings to prevent damage.

Can snow actually protect plants?

“Like mulch, snow can insulate the soil and keep soil temperatures more moderate, which is good for roots. A covering of snow can also insulate the plants themselves. Snow cover can be very beneficial to evergreen ground covers, such as pachysandra, juniper, and vinca. Snow protects them from the drying winds of winter and provides a source of water when it melts in spring,” Yiesla says.

About the Experts

• Sharon Yiesla is a Plant Knowledge Specialist with the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum outside of Chicago, Illinois.

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