Protect Your Shrubs From Winter Damage

This week in New York we had a major storm that dropped about 16 inches of snow in our area. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the light and fluffy kind. It was the wet heavy kind that has the potential to damage plants. The following photo shows my Arborvitae which are bent over under the weight of the snow.

I’ve read that you shouldn’t try to remove the snow because you might break the branches. I don’t agree. I use a soft broom to gently shake the snow off the branches. If you’re careful, you won’t cause any damage. I do the same thing for most of my shrubs. I’ve never had a branch break while removing the snow. The worst that happens during the shaking process is that I end up with a lot of snow down my jacket and in my boots.