Gardening Tips: Gardeners’ concern for the landscape in the snow

Well, the first major snowstorm blanketed our region earlier this week with accumulations of well over two feet in some locations. It seems a bit early for this amount of precipitation, but it is certainly not unheard of.

It seems every dramatic weather event we experience is used as evidence of “global climate change” these days. I still think “global climate change” is a nebulous term invented to describe what is obvious. The climate has been changing ever since this planet was formed and eventually inevitable climate changes will end life as we know it here, if we don’t get clobbered by an asteroid before then. The real question is how much human activity has had to do with it and how much we can do to alleviate that, and at what cost.

From cows passing gas (emitting methane) to power plants spewing carbon dioxide to automobiles exhaust to tilling soil, it is obvious that human activity is significant. The debate goes on and on, but the good news is that changes are happening that have to help. I personally believe internal combustion engines burning fossil fuel will disappear eventually. I think we will shift to renewable energy resources more and more as a matter of economics and sustainability. I am not ready to stop eating beef as a remedy to global climate change.

The main concern for gardeners from this storm is the possible damage to our landscape plants. Some trees and shrubs still have some of their leaves clinging. Trees may be bent over and some are pinned down by the weight. If possible, gently shake off the excess snow but be careful not to get hit by a “slingshot” reaction once the weight is removed and the tree springs upright.

Trees that have split crotches can sometimes be repaired by pulling the split limbs together and fixing them in this position. This job is usually and is always best performed by certified arborists. They drill a hole through the center of the two split sections just above the split and insert a threaded steel rod through the hole. A 5/8-inch diameter threaded rod is usually used for this. They place large washers on both ends of the threaded rod and draw the split together with nuts placed outside the washers. The large washers will prevent the bark from too much damage. Do not wrap anything like duct tape or wire around the split section to hold it together since this will girdle the trunk as growth begins in the spring.

With luck, the split sections will graft themselves together in a year or so. This technique works best with partial splits that are only a few inches long.

I would not recommend that amateurs attempt to do this on any tree that may present a hazard if the job fails, but for a small backyard fruit tree or shrub, I would give it a go. I imagine there are You Tube videos showing how this is done.

Prune broken branches back to a side branch, leaving no stubs if possible, and gently brush snow off flattened shrubs, being careful not to do even more damage.

Another concern I have is for trees and shrubs that are literally buried under the snow. Within a few days to a few weeks, mice, voles and rabbits will utilize the snow cover as a cozy igloo and begin to feed on the bark of the woody plants. They will build extensive networks of tunnels and create an unseen rodent heaven. Fruit trees are most at risk but lilacs and other shrubs are also in danger. These rodents can reproduce very quickly and with less predation from hawks, owls, foxes, weasels, etc , their populations will explode in a month or so. If possible, shovel the snow away from the base of fruit and ornamental trees and shrubs and wrap the lower two feet of trunk with hardware cloth or plastic tree wrap guards.

As the snow melts and refreezes as ice, remember that ordinary rock salt (sodium chloride) can be very toxic to plants. If at all possible use calcium chloride or some other “plant friendly” de-icer.

Reach Bob Beyfuss at rlb14@cornell.edu.