Weathering the winter

Snow Traps
There seems to be an abundance of stories about places that receive too much snow, like the inn on Mount Rainier that once had a snowpack well over 20 feet (6 in) deep. What people don't talk about as much is how to get more snow to places that need it. This is accomplished by constructing devices that trap the snow that falls or blow it into areas that need it for insulation or soil moisture. There are many types of snow traps, including windbreaks. These can be temporary, such as those made of snow fencing, or permanent, such as hedges and hurricane fences. These structures collect snow on the upwind side of a fence and should be aligned perpendicular to the prevailing winter winds.

Another type of snow trap is used in farm fields. The farmer cuts the crop, such as alfalfa or wheat, to leave stubble about 4 inches (10 cm) tall. The stubble catches the snow as it blows over the field, creating a reservoir of snow. A gardener can adapt this technique. When you cut back perennials and the lawn in fall, leave 4- to 6-inch-tall (10-15 cm) stubs on the perennials and cut the lawn at about 3 inches (8 cm) tall. These measures will help trap the snow.

Snow-Removal Strategies
During a heavy snowfall, it is common for a foot or two (0.3-0.6 m) of snow to top every one of your prized landscape plants. Few plants in the world can carry such loads gracefully, and it is natural for the gardener to want to relieve the burden as soon as possible. Here's how to do it while minimizing the chance of damaging the plants.

Needled evergreens. Look over the snow-covered plant and see how many and which branches are buried. In big storms, the lower branches are often completely buried in snow and those above them just have their tips buried; the upper portions of the tree are capped in snow. Use a broom and begin at the top. Tap the leader to release the snow. As this snow falls, it often knocks some snow off the lower branches. Work your way down, gently sweeping off the snow with a side-to-side motion. When you reach the branches that are buried, carefully move the topmost of these to see if they will pop out of the snow. If there is any resistance, stop and let the buried branches stay buried.

Broadleaf evergreens. Different types of broadleaf evergreens react differently to snow loads. Small-leafed rhododendrons, like the PJM varieties, have an open, upright branching pattern that makes the branches collect snow and then droop toward the ground. It is tempting to lift a branch from the middle, but this often results in snapping the limb. Instead, support the branch directly under the cap of snow and gently shake the snow free. If the tip of the branch is buried, let it stay buried. This same method should be used for deciduous shrubs with an open, loose branch habit (such as spirea and beautybush).

Excerpted from The Weather-Resilient Garden by Charles W. G. Smith. Copyright 2004 by Charles W. G. Smith. Excerpted, with permission by Storey Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.