Prepping the Garden for Snow
It’s Wednesday, January 21, 2026 and Weather Underground is predicting 21 inches of snow this weekend for the Annapolis area. This is A LOT of snow for us. And, it’s not just affecting your driveway, sidewalk and mail delivery -It’s going to affect your plantings. The good news is - you can prepare. Read on for shrub-specific recommendations on getting your plants through the storm in one piece.
The good news about snow is that it offers a cozy blanket for your plants during this dormant season. So, when it snows, you don’t need to worry about extreme temperatures freezing plants that are below the snow. The bad news is - snow is heavy - especially when it starts to melt. Most perrieneals are immune as they will emerge from their root crown in the spring. That leaves shrubs and trees as plantings of concern.
Shrubs. Some of the most affected shrubs in are area are: Sky Pencil Holly, Camillia, Mountain Laurel, Yew, Juniper, Cherry Laurel, Rhododendron, some dwarf Japanese Maples such as Crimson Queen. Also affected: Inkberry Holly, Forsythia, Arborvitae, Azalea, Acuba, Photinia and Boxwood. These shrubs can all be tied (see below) with a natural twine. I prefer natural twine as it’s easy to clip after the snow melts and isn’t a deal breaker if some falls on the ground.
Sky Pencil Holly are susceptible to damage from snow and ice due to their low branching.
Sky Pencil Holly prepped for snow.
Success!
The Sky Pencil Holly survives the snow with all of it’s branches in tact.
Trees. Trees are tricky because of their size. If it isn’t possible to support your evergreen trees - consider the following:
During the snow - Gently brush snow off with a broom. Use an upward motion and do not shake the branches it they are frozen.
After the snow has melted - if some branches are bent, don’t attempt to coax them back into place. Wait for warmer weather. The branches may recover on their own. If they don’t, you may consider calling an arborist to access.
Low Shrubs and Smaller. With a large snow, it is important to protect the plants that will be under the snow from foot traffic. I know my kids and their friends will be making snowmen and sledding so marking the beds is a good idea. I use T-stakes and bamboo poles to mark bed locations. I’m marking mine today as my ground isn’t frozen.
Snow = Snowmen though I’m pro-snowman making, I don’t want them made on top of the pansies.
