This winter has been brutal on many of the plants in the area. My family was eating dinner the other night, and I could hear the popping and snapping of tree branches breaking due to the heavy weight of snow and ice. When I was driving down Lower Ferry Road the following day, I noticed the ground was littered with large broken tree branches, as if a battle had been fought and the mature stately trees were the losers. Plus, while I was traveling on I-95, the trees and shrubs were coated with a white film from the kicked up spray of salt that was liberally applied to the road during snow events. These manmade and natural events are adding undue stress to the survival of plants this winter season.
The best way to help reduce the amount of breakage due to extreme weather conditions is to properly maintain the plant’s structure. Proper pruning at the correct time throughout the year is effective in reducing damage by ice and snow. Particularly important is the removal of any weak, narrow-angle, V-shaped crotches. Diseased and dead branches should be removed. Avoid late-summer pruning and fertilization as this will stimulate new tender growth, which is more susceptible to freezing temperatures.
Our holly hedge was bending over due to the amount of accumulated ice that had formed and was threatening to break many branches. My wife went out and, with a helpful neighbor, used a broom to gently knock off the accumulating ice and snow, reducing the possibility of breakage. This needs to be done with great care to avoid breaking any branches that may be frozen. When you are shoveling your walk or plowing your driveway, the snow should be piled and pushed away from shrubs to prevent damage.
Runoff from the road contains dissolved salts that not only directly injure the plants but also can change the structure of the soil, causing it to become compacted. When soil becomes compacted it restricts the uptake of nutrients, water and oxygen that is normally available to the plants. Shoot tips and leaves usually receive the most damage in the form of marginal scorch, a dried burnt effect on shoot tips and leaf edges.
The goal during winter is to prevent salt from reaching plants and to wash it off if it does reach them. Do not make piles of snow containing salt around plants or trees or put it where runoff from the melting snow will flow over plant root zones. If runoff is unavoidable, flush the area around the plant’s root zone in early spring by applying 2 inches of water over a 2-3 hour period and repeating three days later. This will help leach much of the salt from the soil. If salt spray from the road surface is a problem, use large amounts of water to rinse the foliage and branches of any affected plants when salt spray is heavy and again in early spring.
When selecting species for a new roadside planting, minimize the potential for salt damage by planting salt tolerant species and avoid salt sensitive plants. A low wall, a temporary upright barrier of burlap or a hedge of salt tolerant evergreens can deflect salt spray from sensitive plants. Instead of using salt on your walks and drives, try using alternatives as Safe Pet Icemelter, Mountain Organic Natural Icemelter or Safe Paw Icemelter. There is an environmentally friendly product called Icebite that is using sugar beet juice to help in the battle of melting snow and ice on walk and road surfaces.
“The trouble with gardening is that it does not remain an avocation. It becomes an obsession.” —Phyllis McGinley, The Province of the Heart
Craig Dupée is a garden-design consultant. He lives in Ewing with his wife and daughters. Send him your email questions at hort1014u@aol.com.
