Winter weather is unpredictable in the DC area, but when we do get a covering of the white stuff, it can be breathtakingly beautiful. However, behind that pristine blanket of snow lies potential devastation for your carefully cultivated landscape. Heavy snowfall and prolonged freezing temperatures can wreak havoc on everything from your prize rose bushes to your mature trees. Understanding what happens during winter and knowing what to look for when spring arrives can mean the difference between a quick recovery and costly landscape replacement.
The Hidden Damage: What Winter Does to Your Landscape
1. Physical Weight and Breakage
Heavy, wet snow can accumulate rapidly on tree branches, shrubs, and ornamental plants. A cubic foot of wet snow can weigh 15-20 pounds, and when multiplied across the canopy of a tree or shrub, this creates tremendous stress. Branches bend beyond their natural flexibility, leading to:
- Broken or split branches
- Torn bark at branch junctions
- Complete structural failure in weak or diseased limbs
- Crushed or misshapen evergreens
2. Frost Heaving and Root Damage
When the ground repeatedly freezes and thaws, it expands and contracts like a slow-motion earthquake. This process, called frost heaving, can:
- Push plants out of the ground, exposing roots to air and extreme cold
- Crack or shear root systems
- Damage shallow-rooted plants like perennials and groundcovers
- Displace pavers, edging, and hardscape elements
3. Desiccation and Winter Burn
Despite the cold, plants can still lose moisture through their leaves and bark. When the ground is frozen, roots can’t absorb water to replace what’s lost. Combined with harsh winter winds and bright sun reflecting off snow, this leads to:
- Brown, dead foliage on evergreens (especially on the windward side)
- Cracked or split bark on thin-barked trees
- Dieback on the tips of branches
- Complete death of marginally hardy plants
4. Salt and Chemical Damage
Road salt, ice melt products, and de-icing chemicals may keep your driveway safe, but they’re toxic to plants:
- Direct contact burns foliage and stems
- Salt spray from roads damages plants dozens of feet away
- Soil contamination affects root uptake of water and nutrients
- Damage may not appear until weeks or months later
5. Rodent and Wildlife Damage
When food is scarce, desperate wildlife turns to your landscape:
- Voles and mice girdle tree trunks under snow cover
- Rabbits and deer browse on bark and tender shoots
- Damage is often hidden until snow melts
After the Thaw: Shorb’s Post-Winter Landscape Inspection Checklist
When temperatures finally rise and snow begins to melt, resist the urge to immediately start pruning and cleaning. Give your landscape time to reveal the full extent of damage. Of course, contact Shorb for expert inspection and recommendations.
Trees and Large Shrubs
Immediate Inspection:
- Look for broken, hanging, or split branches that pose safety hazards
- Check for torn bark or exposed wood at branch junctions
- Examine the trunk for cracks, splits, or areas where bark has separated
- Look for signs of rodent girdling at the base (complete or partial rings of missing bark)
What to Do:
- Remove hazardous broken branches immediately
- For minor splits, consult an arborist about cabling or bracing
- Clean wounds with a sharp knife but avoid wound dressings—let them heal naturally
- Severely girdled trees (more than 50% of circumference) may not recover
Evergreens (Arborvitae, Boxwood, Yews, etc.)
Look For:
- Brown or bronze foliage, especially on south and west sides
- Flattened or misshapen forms from snow load
- Split or splayed stems on multi-stemmed varieties
- Dead branches hidden inside dense foliage
What to Do:
- Wait until new growth appears before pruning—brown needles may still be alive
- Gently try to reshape flattened shrubs with soft ties
- Prune out completely dead branches once you’re certain
- Consider replacing severely damaged specimens
Perennials and Groundcovers
Check For:
- Plants pushed out of the soil with exposed roots
- Crown damage or rot at the soil line
- Missing or dead patches in groundcover beds
- Soft, mushy crowns indicating freeze damage
What to Do:
- Gently press frost-heaved plants back into the soil
- Add a layer of mulch to insulate exposed roots
- Remove obviously dead material but give borderline plants time
- Many perennials will surprise you with new growth from the roots
Lawns and Turf
Inspect For:
- Gray, matted areas (snow mold)
- Dead patches, especially in low-lying areas
- Vole runways and tunnels
- Compacted or damaged areas from snow piles
What to Do:
- Gently rake matted areas to improve air circulation
- Overseed damaged patches once soil can be worked
- Fill vole tunnels and compact soil
- Avoid walking on wet, soft turf
Hardscape and Structures
Look At:
- Shifted or heaved pavers and retaining walls
- Cracks in concrete or stone
- Damaged fencing or arbors
- Irrigation system components
What to Do:
- Reset minor hardscape shifts once ground fully thaws
- Repair structural damage before it worsens
- Test irrigation systems before the first use
- Document serious damage for insurance or contractor estimates
Recovery and Prevention: Moving Forward
Short-Term Recovery Steps
- Be Patient: Many plants need 4-6 weeks of warm weather before damage is fully apparent
- Prune Strategically: Remove dead wood, but avoid heavy pruning until you see new growth
- Fertilize Carefully: Wait until plants show signs of active growth; early feeding can stress damaged plants
- Water Deeply: Once the ground thaws, deep watering helps roots recover
- Mulch Properly: 2-3 inches of mulch protects roots and conserves moisture
Long-Term Prevention for Next Winter
Plant Selection:
- Choose plants rated for at least one zone colder than your area
- Select species with flexible branches that shed snow easily
- Avoid marginally hardy plants in exposed locations
Physical Protection:
- Build burlap screens for evergreens exposed to wind or salt spray
- Wrap thin-barked trees with tree wrap
- Apply anti-desiccant sprays to evergreens in late fall
- Brush heavy snow off branches before it freezes (don’t shake frozen branches)
Soil and Mulch Management:
- Ensure plants are well-watered going into winter
- Apply winter mulch after the ground freezes to prevent heaving
- Improve drainage in low-lying areas prone to ice buildup
Strategic Placement:
- Keep salt-sensitive plants away from driveways and roads
- Use calcium chloride or sand instead of rock salt where possible
- Create physical barriers to redirect salt spray
When to Call Shorb
Some winter damage requires expert assessment:
- Large broken branches on mature trees
- Extensive bark damage or girdling on valuable specimens
- Trees with structural cracks or splits in major limbs
- Widespread damage across your landscape
- When you’re unsure whether a plant will recover
The pros at Shorb can assess damage, recommend treatment, and help you develop a long-term recovery plan.
The Silver Lining
While winter damage can be heartbreaking, it also presents an opportunity to reimagine your landscape. Consider replacing damaged plants with more cold-hardy varieties, improving drainage in problem areas, or redesigning spaces that consistently suffer winter damage.
Nature is remarkably resilient. With careful observation, strategic intervention, and patience, most landscapes bounce back from even severe winter damage. The key is understanding what to look for, knowing when to act, and giving your plants the time and support they need to recover.
As you walk your property this spring, clipboard in hand, remember: every gardener faces setbacks. How you respond to winter’s challenges will determine whether your landscape merely survives or truly thrives in the seasons to come.
