Mt. Tabor Neighborhood Association

Gardening on a volcano

Mar 03, 2004

By Linda Eggiman

Holy smokes, what happened? Ice and more ice and, unfortunately, great stress for affected plants. Do you know what to do or not to do? Here are a few hints.

If your plants or trees are loaded with snow and bending under the weight, it?’s fine to carefully knock the snow off, being careful not to use forceful hits as the twigs and other soft-tissued parts may be slightly brittle and break off. However, if it is ice that is coating your plant, don?’t touch it! I can?’t stress this enough. The ice causes the plant not only to bend but also to be very brittle, even into the thickest branches. Any movement can cause snapping or full breakage. Your best bet is to grab any kind of prop?—boards, broom or shovel handles, rebar?—and carefully place it in a support position. Tie it on if you can. Do not attempt to raise the bent part up, just prop it up in its bent position. A lot of breakage comes with movement, especially wind. We always hope there will be no wind factor with ice, but this time we got them both. Knocking the ice off has the same effect.

When the ice melts, many of the plants will correct their structure, but many won?’t. You will now know where your landscape weaknesses are. If it is a shrub that has been stressed, chances are you can tie bent parts to other stronger parts. Possibly you can prune off the damaged parts. Then you have to decide if the shrub should be reduced overall for future prevention. Trees, on the other hand, usually incur more damage because of their size. It may take years for them to retrieve enough inner strength to fend off more stress. Staking or propping up may be your only answer, and you can expect this to be long term. If your tree lost major limbs, chances are they ripped off the trunk, leaving deep wounds that can never heal. Watch these carefully for future infection. The tree may need to be removed.

Maybe my next article can be more positive. Questions? Call or email Linda Eggiman, landscape consultant and 18-year master gardener, at eggie@teleport.com, 503/254-1814.