Signs Of Winter Injury To Trees And Shrubs

Although some outdoor plants thrive in winter weather, these conditions threaten the wellbeing of healthy shrubs and trees every year. It's important to understand the signs of winter injuries so that you can act as soon as they take effect. You will, of course, need to take steps to prevent this damage in the first place, too. Tiffany Selvey, House Digest's garden editor and in-house master gardener, shared some of the signs of winter injury you need to look out for, such as broken branches and damaged bark.

"In areas that experience ice, sleet, and heavy snow, it's common to see broken or fallen branches after a period of extreme weather," she explained while speaking exclusively to House Digest. "Even strong winter winds can do a lot of damage to thin or weak branches of trees. Extreme cold can damage the outer bark of a tree, causing it to fall off." The expert also revealed that new greenery is particularly vulnerable. "Newly planted trees and shrubs are most susceptible to damage because they haven't developed strong stems and branches or a tough outer bark for protection," she shared. Bleached or dried foliage is another form of winter injury worth noting. Due to the uptick in hungry wildlife during the wintertime, you should also look out for signs of damage from animals like rodents or deer throughout the season. Selvey shared that ice is a major cause of damage as well. "Even if you just get a little ice accumulation, it's reasonable to expect some damage," the garden editor explained. Stems at the base of shrub canopies can even break due to the weight of ice or snow.

If winter injuries harm your precious trees or shrubs, there are a few things you can do to attempt to restore their health. "For trees, if the damage is relatively minor, like a few fallen or broken branches, all you need to do is remove the broken branches, so they don't fall off and injure people or property," Selvey shared while speaking exclusively to House Digest. "For more extensive issues on trees like bark falling off or a splitting tree trunk, it's best to call an arborist to find out of the tree can be saved."

You will need to take a slightly different approach when it comes to shrubs. "It would depend on the type of shrub that has been injured by winter weather, but unless it's clearly beyond saving, I would wait until spring to do any major pruning to see what you can do to salvage it, if anything," Selvey explained. "Extensive pruning in cold weather can further injure the plant." With excessive winter pruning, you also run the risk of accidentally removing foliage that is actually dormant rather than dead. You might be tempted to knock ice and snow off of branches to treat your frostbitten trees. However, this does more harm than good. There is a chance that you could break a branch during the process. Simply leave the snow or ice untouched and allow it to melt away when the weather warms up.

Winter injury can be so damaging to trees or shrubs that they simply cannot be saved. "If the bark all the way around the tree is falling off, that's a sign you're tree isn't going to make it," Selvey said of tree damage while speaking exclusively to House Digest. "A thick vertical split or severe damage, like cankers, at the base are also likely signs they won't make it." The expert also shared some insight into what irreparable shrub damage looks like. "If a shrub has split down the middle or there's major damage to the main stem, it may be lost unless it's a species that will grow back from the roots, like crepe myrtles or figs," she explained.

It's worth it to take the steps to avoid this irreparable damage in the first place. One important precaution you need to take is to remember to water your trees in the winter. This is because well hydrated plants are less likely to suffer from stress that leaves them vulnerable to winter injury. If you are going into the winter season with newly planted trees or shrubs, protect their roots with wood mulch. Lay down 3 to 4 inches of it in an "O" shape around the trunk. Just make sure that you leave 6 inches of empty space around the perimeter of the trunk. You can also stop snow or ice from breaking tree branches by wrapping any small trees together with cloth or nylon fabric. Larger trees will need to be handled by a professional.