Garden Tip: Be thankful for snow; your yard loves it
By Heather Prince www.thegrowingplace.com March 7, 2013 4:50PM
Trees covered in snow along Liberty Street in Aurora on Tuesday, March 5, 2013. | Brian Powers~Sun-Times Media
Updated: April 11, 2013 6:28AM
You might not like all this snow in early March, but the recent snow has given us much-needed moisture this winter. Remember that drought we suffered last summer?
Gently brush fluffy new-fallen snow off trees and shrubs if branches are heavily weighed down. If the snow has frozen to the branches, allow it to melt naturally because disturbed twigs can easily break.
Once the snow melts and we have a warmer day, it can be a great time to get some late-winter garden tasks accomplished. If you’re out and about, be careful of water-logged soils. Too much compaction by foot traffic can damage the roots of dormant perennials.
Now is the perfect time to prune summer flowering shrubs and shade trees if they need it. If you like the shape and size of the plant, simply enjoy! Some trees such as birch and maple may ‘bleed’ sap on a warm, sunny day. Although harmless, it can be a bit alarming. Hold off on pruning spring bloomers like forsythia, lilac and fragrant viburnum as you might cut the flower buds off.
Now is also a good time to think about cutting back ornamental grasses that have gotten tattered and worn. Think about leaving snipped foliage in your beds as mulch. Cut grass stems into smaller pieces and scatter. They’ll quickly decompose this spring.
Garden Tip is courtesy of Heather Prince, The Growing Place, 630-355-4000, www.thegrowingplace.com
