After a heavy snowfall, many of us look at our poor outdoor plants and wonder if there is anything we can do to ensure the weight of the snow doesn’t hurt them in the long term. Here is some advice on how to help them while ensuring you and your lovely shrubs are kept safe in the process.
1 Sweep Gently Using a broom or your hands, GENTLY sweep in an upward motion, loosening the snow and allowing it to fall. Don’t sweep downward, as you might break an already bent branch, and don’t shake the plant. The branches will be very brittle and already stressed, so disturb them as little as possible.
2 Avoid Accumulation You’ll have much less damage to your plants if you remove snow after every couple of inches of accumulation, rather than waiting until it’s deep.
3 Leave Ice Alone Don’t try to remove ice, as the branch will likely break. Once ice has formed, you really should just wait it out
4 Be Safe Never try to remove snow or ice from overhead branches! There’s a high risk of breakage, and you don’t want heavy limbs falling on you, your house, or your car!