Most Damaged Trees Will Recover
By Phran Novelli
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Just as trees and shrubs were starting to emerge from the snow and ice, they were whacked and buried again. If you got outside while it was warmer, you likely saw some damage along with many signs of hope.
Even evergreens that had been pinned down by snow for weeks had started to pick themselves up again. Yes, some branches broke, but a remarkable number did not. Once it gets warmer, and the sun comes out, trees and shrubs really are able to recover a lot.
But, like trying to end winter before it wants to go, you can't force trees and shrubs back into shape. So, never yank up bent branches from out of the snow, and don't hit or shake trees to try to remove snow or ice - you can easily injure them and snap frozen branches.
The most you can really do is gently brush off snow with a soft broom, or turn the broom around and use the stick end to poke holes in heavy loads to help it drop off the plant and relieve the weight.
And then there's a neighbor of mine who set out stepladders to prop up leaning evergreen boughs and keep them from falling on the ground until the temperatures warmed up.
Hey, it worked!
