Protect Shrubs from Ice Damage

What you’ll need

  • Rope

step 1: Before It Snows

Prepare your shrubs to bear the weight of snow by strengthening them with rope, netting, or chicken wire. Wrap the rope or netting around the shrub to keep it from spreading under the weight of the snow. Most damage is done to upright evergreens when the weight of the snow spreads and breaks branches.

step 2: As Aoon As It Snows

As soon as it stops snowing, or when the snow begins to reach damaging depths, knock or sweep the snow off the shrub with a broom or leaf rake. This only works if the snow is still fluffy. If it has melted and refrozen, you might do worse damage because it grips the shrub so tightly.

step 3: After It Freezes

Melt ice or frozen snow off the branch with a hose attached to a hot water faucet. If you use a garden hose for this, avoid using very hot water or you will damage the hose; use warm water instead.