How to Protect Your Plants From Snow

Unexpected snowfall can harm garden plants and prevent them from thriving in the spring. Winter weather often causes stems to snap and kills vulnerable species. This article will teach you all you need to know about protecting your plants from heavy snowfall.

Winter weather may give you a break from the rigors of the gardening season, but this isn’t the time to leave your plants unattended. Unexpected snowfall can harm young plants and prevent them from thriving in the spring. Too much snow piled on top of fragile stems and branches can also cause them to snap.

If you live in a region that gets lots of snow, there are steps you can take to protect vulnerable plants from snow and ice damage. Here is everything you need to know about protecting your plants from the snow.

Is Snow a Problem in Your Garden?

Before you start your snow protection process, it’s important to determine whether your plants need it in the first place. After all, if you’re growing varieties suited to your growing zone, the odds are good that these plants can withstand some snowfall without issue.

In fact, a thick layer of snow can act as insulation to protect plants from freezing winds and erratic temperature changes. You’ll likely find that sensitive plants fare better in cold weather when there are a few centimeters of snow covering the roots.

Problems with snow mainly occur when you’re dealing with wet, heavy snow that weighs down limbs and stems. Freezing temperatures make branches brittle, so even small amounts of snow can lead them to snap. In addition, delicate plants can be at risk from even a centimeter or two if they aren’t strong enough to survive bending over from the extra weight.

Which Plants Should You Protect from Snow?

Not all plants need artificial snow protection. Most common landscaping plants, including cold-hardy perennials and bushes, should be strong enough to withstand the average snowstorm.

These plants have natural strategies to protect their tender buds from the cold to ensure they bloom in the spring. In fact, some varieties, including many fruit trees, require a set amount of “chill hours” that must be met before the plant gets the signal to start producing buds.

The plants that need the most protection from snow include the following:

Young plants that didn’t have time to get established before winter
Non-cold-hardy plants like gardenias, aucuba, and lantana that can’t handle temperatures below 15 ℉ (-9 ℃)
Bushes and trees with thin limbs
Tall plants with delicate stems that bend easily

What About Evergreens?

While evergreen trees and shrubs can withstand cold weather, too much snow can make them lose their shape by causing the limbs to splay out. It’s best to knock off any snow that accumulates on the branches to prevent this. A long-handled broom works well for this task.

You can reduce the risk of snow accumulation altogether by pruning evergreens so that they taper towards the top. If you’d rather not change their shape, consider wrapping the plants with twine from top to bottom (like a Christmas tree) to prevent any snow from building up on the branches.

How to Protect Plants from Snow

Your best strategy for protecting plants from snow depends on their size and type, but in most cases, it’s best to keep them covered. Here are several popular methods for covering plants.

Place a clear plastic storage bin over small plants.
Cut the top off a plastic milk jug or soda bottle to cover small plants and produce a temporary cloche.
Attach plastic grocery bags to the limbs of budding and flowering fruit trees to protect the fruit crop. Remove them immediately when the weather warms.
Use a cardboard box with holes cut in the sides to allow ventilation and prevent it from blowing off. Make sure you remove the box as soon as the snow stops falling so you don’t block too much light.
Move potted plants indoors or to a sheltered area where they won’t get snowed on.
Use metal hoops and clear plastic to create protective tunnels for low-lying plants. The curved shape means that any falling snow should accumulate on the sides and improve the insulation.
Surround cold-sensitive plants with black plastic. This will attract heat and melt the snow more quickly to reduce the risk of damage.

Pay Attention to the Rest of the Garden

Plants aren’t the only thing at risk in your garden from too much snowfall. Not only can heavy, wet snow cause damage to roofs, greenhouses, hoop houses, and outdoor furniture, but it can slide off unexpectedly and crush the plants below.

It’s smart to watch the weather forecast carefully and shovel off any snow that accumulates on fragile surfaces to prevent it from building up.

Likewise, be careful about applying salt or sand to pathways to reduce ice buildup. The melted slush can easily leach into nearby garden beds and affect their fertility for the next growing season.

When It Comes to Moderate Snowfall, Wait it Out

While you may be tempted to spring into action as soon as you see signs of snowfall, in most cases, your outdoor plants will be perfectly fine with a little icy insulation. You can leave cold-tolerant plants undisturbed, as they will likely be as good as before once the weather warms again. This extra snow layer will also serve to keep the soil from freezing, which prevents far worse damage.

Finally, don’t be in a rush to prune or toss out plants that get damaged from snow, as chances are they will bounce back once the weather warms.