Fixing the Damage From Heavy Snowfall

Saturday, November 21, 2009 03:45 AM

The recent heavy snow has caused some damage to local trees and shrubs. Cedar trees that were not tied with string, or wrapped with burlap or reemay could have had their branches bent down due to the weight of the snow. It is important to immediately remove the snow from the branches before it freezes on.

Using a broom, gently sweep upwards to remove the snow. If it has frozen, wait to remove it so as little damage is done as possible. The heavy snow can cause branches to break and bend altering the shape of the tree.

Another common complaint is broken or split branches on many different trees and shrubs. These should be repaired immediately for best results. If the branch is partially or completely torn off and there is no hope of restoring it, it is best to cut it off now. Cut it off to the nearest branch or trunk of the tree. Make a smooth cut in healthy wood and the cut should be flush with the trunk/crotch and all the ragged edges should be smoothed by using a sharp knife. Breakage wounds can be open to disease, decay and the elements, so you can use an extra precaution by applying pruning paste to the open wound.

There is also a product called ‘Lac Balsam’ an artificial bark that is used in the spring/summer for repairing tree wounds but it can only be used in temperatures above freezing so it is not recommended for fall/winter when temperatures are below 0 Celsius. If the branch of the tree is only slightly damaged it should be repaired to stop further damage by bringing the damaged branch to the trunk and securing it with rope.

Only remove branches that are damaged. All other pruning is done in the spring just as the buds begin to swell. If the tree has lost the leader (main central branch) cut the damaged branch off by a smaller branch growing in the desired direction, so this can be trained to become the new leader. If there is a lot of damage and the tree has lost its shape it may take several years of careful pruning before it has regained its shape.

-Jos

Jos Van Hage owns and operates two Art Knapp Garden Centres in Prince George: