When you see one of your shrubs covered with snow and ice, it's tempting to walk up to it and give the branches a good shake, right? But you should resist the temptation, according to Brett Lemcke, Landscape Industry Certified Manager of R.M. Landscape, Inc., in Hilton, New York.
"Don't shake branches covered with snow and ice," advises Lemcke. "It is best to gently brush off snow. Shaking limbs may break them. Wait for ice and frozen snow to melt naturally."
In the unfortunate event that your shrub suffers a broken limb, Lemcke says that it should be removed as soon as possible, adding that early removal will help it "heal better in the spring."
Want to take preventive action to make sure no limb breaks off your favorite shrub over the course of the winter? In my tutorial on shrub shelters, I show you how to build a sheltering framework for free.
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