Snow and its effect on plants in the landscape

Too much or too little of anything can be bad. The same is true of snow in the landscape. Snow can actually be beneficial to landscape plants. Its acts as an insulator and can protect some plants from the effects of freezing and thawing and provides moisture as is melts. On the down side, too much snow can put added weight and cause damage to plant structures and in water logged areas it can make things even more soggy and damage root systems. In the South East much of the damage we see when it snows is actually from ice that is a result of our repeated freezing and thawing. This repeated freezing and thawing can cause plants to heave out of the soil as well as damage susceptible flower buds.

Many of these effects can be counteracted by applying a thicker layer of winter mulch around shallow rooted plants, covering smaller plants and shrubs with burlap or some other breathable covering, and making sure you have the right plant in the right location.

– Corley Hughes

Floriculturalist

Bland Landscaping Co. Inc.