Winter plant care - Prevent snow damage

For us who live in BC lower mainland, we have been experienced massive amount of snow for the past few weeks. We understand that those snow can block your driveway, access to your garage, and add extra time for you to get to work. In BC lower mainland, most of the ornamental plants are ok with snow covering on them, as long as the plants you planted are ok with the current climate zoning. Snow itself usually can help prevent plants from severe cold and dry winter winds. It can also add nutrients to the soil when they melt. The problem are usually from snow removal that the snow and ice melting chemical usually are the main cause for winter damage to plants.

In the next winter, make sure clearly mark down where the plant beds are, so you can notify the snow removal company. Always plan ahead about where to store the snow, so the planting area own`s be affected.

You can also prune off the branches that looks like will break from snow damage by using professional pruner to give them clear cut. This will prevent the disease get into the broken point.

Wrap new plants and sensitive plants with protection covering. This will greatly prevent the plants from heavy snow damage by holding the branches in place.

Don’t try to remove snow from plants by shaking or hitting them. This will cause a lot of damage to the branches. The plant structure can usually hold the snow by its own natural structure.