Winter weather can be brutal on people, pets, and plants as well. Just as you would wear a heavy coat and protect your pet’s paws, there are ways to protect trees and shrubs in winter.

Protect Trees and Shrubs in Winter Weather

Cold, wind, and snow can do a lot of damage to your plants. Here are a few ways winter weather can effect trees and shrubs:

• Blizzard winds break tree branches.
• Heavy snow and ice weigh branches down.
• Shoveling snow on top of shrubs can cause breakage.
• Cold winds dry trees out.
• Sun reflecting off snow can scald and blister tree trunks and branches.

There are a few ways to help shield plants from the elements.

1. Build a storm shelter. Construct an A-frame to place over plants to help keep snow and ice off. This is especially helpful in guarding plants close to.your house from snow that could fall off the roof. If you live in an area prone to frequent storms, you can make these frames from scrap plywood and hinges to easily store them for next winter too.

2. Wrap them up. Burlap is a strong, eco-friendly material ideal for protecting new trees, older trees with underdeveloped root systems, and trees subject to powerful winds, sunscald, and damaging frost. Burlap can be wrapped around the plant and tied with string or zip ties. Make sure you uncover the plant after the storm, and definitely before spring so that it can breathe.

3. Tent cities. You can also build a tent-like structure around the plants with metal or wooden stakes if you’d rather the burlap didn’t have direct contact with the tree.

Protect Trees and Shrubs from Animals

Hungry deer will munch away on anything they can get to, especially when food is scarce in the winter. Help keep them away with any of the suggestions above, or by surrounding the plants with fencing. Make sure the barrier is high enough to keep the animals out, and at least six inches away from the plant to let it breathe.

Even though you have to leave some plants out in the cold, help them survive the winter by protecting them from the harsh conditions.