How To Repair Plants That Have Been Snow-Damaged
Winter can be incredibly tough on our gardens, and it's heartbreaking to wake up and see your favorite shrubs flattened under a heavy blanket of wet snow. While it looks devastating, nature is always surprisingly resilient, and many plants can bounce back with just a little help. The key is knowing what needs immediate attention and what simply needs time. Let's walk through the steps to nurse your garden back to health after a storm.
Wait For The Melt
It's tempting to rush out and start fixing things immediately, but you shouldn't touch plants while they're still frozen or covered in snow. Brittle, frozen branches can snap easily, which often causes more harm than good. You’ll want to wait until temperatures rise above freezing and the snow melts naturally. Once the wood is pliable again, you can get a true sense of the damage. Patience is your most important tool right now, so keep your hands in your pockets.
Shake Off The Weight
If the snow is heavy and wet, you can lighten the load before it melts to prevent permanent bending. You need to be gentle, though, don't go whacking the branches with a broom or anything. That just risks breaking the branches right off. Instead, use an upward sweeping motion to lift the branches from below and shake off snow that way. If the snow is hard and crusted with ice, it's best to leave it alone for now. Attempting to chip away ice will likely peel away bark or snap stems, so let the sun do the work for you there.
Pruning Broken Limbs
Once the snow is gone, look closely for snapped branches. These are open wounds that invite disease and pests into the plant. You'll need a sharp pair of bypass pruners to make a clean cut. Trim the broken branch back to the nearest healthy bud or the main stem to encourage proper healing. Don't leave a jagged stub! If the bark has been stripped away, carefully trim the loose edges to help the wound close over neatly.
Propping Up Bent Plants
Some shrubs, especially arborvitae or junipers, might be splayed open but not actually broken. You can often train these back into shape. Use soft materials like old pantyhose or wide garden tape to tie the branches back together. Don't use wire or thin twine that cuts into the bark. You're aiming to support the plant, not strangle it. You should leave the supports in place for at least an entire growing season until the wood regains its strength and rigidity.
Repairing Split Trunks
Small splits in a branch crotch can sometimes be saved if the bark is still attached on one side. You can gently push the split sections back together and wrap them tightly with grafting tape to seal the wound. For larger branches, you might need to use a bolt system, though that's often more trouble than it's worth. If the split is severe, it’s usually better to prune the limb entirely to preserve the plant's overall energy.
Feeding And Watering
After the trauma of winter damage, your plants will be stressed. It's important to give them some extra care as they enter the growing season. Ensure they get enough water, especially if it’s a dry spring. You can apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer, but don’t overdo it. You don't want to force rapid growth that the damaged structure can't support yet. Let the plant focus on healing its wounds first before pushing for new height.
Knowing When To Replace
Sometimes the damage is just too extensive to fix. If a main trunk has snapped or more than half the plant is destroyed, it might not be able to recover its former glory. It's okay to admit defeat. Digging it up gives you a chance to plant something new and perhaps more hardy for your climate. Gardening is a cycle of life and renewal, try not to view this as a failure, but rather as an opportunity for a fresh start.
Repairing snow damage takes time and certainly some effort, but watching your garden recover is incredibly rewarding. Most plants are tougher than they look. With clean cuts, gentle supports, and a bit of patience, you'll be surprised at how well they bounce back. Take things one branch at a time. Spring is just around the corner, and your garden will be green and growing again before you know it.