The snow is finally going away and we can begin to see our landscapes again. It is time to assess the damage. After really cold weather or heavy snow it is not unusual for some trees, shrubs, perennials or hardy annuals to look badly damaged, sick or even dead.
Just because the leaves are brown, limp, droopy or sickly does not necessarily mean that the branch from which it originates is sick or dead. In other words, in some cases these ugly leaves may eventually fall off, and be replaced by new ones, or new growth and new leaves may develop just beyond the point where the old leaves dropped off. Give it some time and see if the plant recovers. As the saying goes: ‘Haste makes waste’, wait before discarding a plant.
You can determine if a plant is dead or alive at a particular point of growth, by simply scratching the bark with your fingernail or lightly scarring the bark with a knife. The next growth layer, just below the bark, is called the cambium layer. If it is green the plant is still alive at that point. If it is a sickly yellow or brown the plant is dead or dying at that point. This gives you a guideline of whether there is a need to prune.
The branches of some plants have been weighted down with snow and are now drooping, ruining the appearance of your plant. You can simply tie them up, provide support for them, or cut them off. The last thing I would do is cut them off, if there is some other means of saving them.
In some cases, plants are apt to look just fine, then all of a sudden begin turning yellow or brown. This indicates that the root system was frozen and damaged during the cold. I do not see this as a big problem because remember, in a way, snow is ‘Mother Natures’ winter protection for plants for plant roots in extreme conditions.
There are a couple of other issues in which to be aware. Some flower buds may have been frozen and the plants may not flower, this year. This is especially true of Rhodos and Azaleas.
Winter damage to most other types of plants will be determined between now and springtime. There is also some possibility of damage from ice melt products. Products are used that are safe for plant material but with the large volume of snow this year enough product could have been used to throw off the balance of soluble salts in the soil. This could cause some yellowing on trees and shrubs near the roads. With a lot of rain in the spring the problem will be flushed away.
