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Timely Tips For Dealing With Snow Covered and Snow Damaged Trees and Shrubs

Courtesy of the Home and Garden Information Center of the University of Maryland Extension Service

1. When branches are covered with snow, should I knock it off?
Natural snowfall is nature’s great winter insulator, protecting frozen branches and roots from extreme temperatures and its weight seldom causes damage. Even when bent double by snow, the resiliency of most plants is astonishing to witness, as they spring back upright when snow is gone. However the weight of ice and very heavy wet snow can break branches. When snow removes easily by lightly brushing branches with your hand or a broom—brush upward!--doing so will not damage your plants. However, partially melted snow that has refrozen or icy snow adheres tightly. Knocking them off can cause worse breakage.  The motion of shoveling, snowblowing or plowing snow causes it to become more dense. Try to avoid piling this heavier kind of snow on plants.
Plants already encased in natural snow should be somewhat protected from the added weight. Also avoid shoveling snow mixed with salt onto plants.

2. Snow and ice broke branches off of my trees and shrubs. What should I do?
Unless there are hazardous conditions, do not immediately prune your plants. Wait until the end of winter. At that time follow the instructions in our publication, Pruning Ornamental Plants. Cut all broken wood to the branch collar of the next healthy branch or a quarter of an inch above a live bud. Being broken does not mean that the plant will die. Broken plant material is best removed and an effort should be made to make what is left of the plant as aesthetically appealing as possible. Many plants, such as azaleas, rhododendrons, holly, nandina, forsythia, abelia, can be cut all the way to the ground if need be and they will regrow and can be better than new. Call our hotline (800-342-2507) or fill out the contact form
http://www.hgic.umd.edu/faq/sendaquestion.cfm to ask about specific plants.

Additional resources:
1. First Aid for Storm-Damaged Trees - University of Missouri:
http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G6867#victim
2. Storm-Damaged Residential Trees: Assessment, Care and Prevention - University of Tennessee:
http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/spfiles/sp575.pdf