How Snow Benefits (and Harms) Your Garden: What Every Homeowner Should Know
How Snow Benefits (and Harms) Your Garden: What Every Homeowner Should Know
The Protective Role of Snow in Gardens
When winter settles over Toronto and the rest of Ontario, a blanket of snow may seem like a burden—but it’s often one of the best natural insulators your garden can have. Gardeners sometimes refer to snow as “nature’s winter mulch,” and for good reason.
A consistent layer of snow helps regulate soil temperatures, keeping them stable even during dramatic freeze–thaw cycles common in the region. This protects plant roots, bulbs, and perennials from sudden cold snaps. Snow also helps retain soil moisture, preventing winter dehydration in evergreen shrubs and groundcovers.
For lawns, a light snow cover shields dormant grass from harsh winds and desiccation. And in garden beds, snow traps heat radiating from the ground, creating a protective buffer against the coldest nights of the season.
Common Ways Snow Can Damage Plants
While snow can be beneficial, too much of it—or the wrong type—can cause serious damage. Toronto often experiences heavy, wet snowfalls, especially in January and February, which put extra strain on landscape plants.
Heavy Snowfall and Broken Branches
Wet snow is dense and heavy. When it accumulates on shrubs, hedges, and tree branches, the weight can bend, crack, or completely snap them.
Evergreens such as cedars, junipers, and boxwoods are especially vulnerable because their foliage holds onto snow rather than allowing it to fall through. Multi-stemmed shrubs can splay open under the weight, permanently altering their shape.
Wind storms paired with snowy buildup create even more strain, leading to broken limbs that can expose the plant to pests, disease, and dehydration.
Ice Buildup and Root Damage
Another winter hazard is ice. When snow melts during daytime thaws and then refreezes at night, it can form solid layers of ice over the soil. This prevents oxygen from reaching plant roots and can suffocate or damage them over time.
Ice can also form around branches and stems, weighing them down even more than snow does. Repeated freeze–thaw cycles can push shallow-rooted perennials and newly planted shrubs upward—a process known as frost heaving. Once roots are exposed to the air, they dry out quickly and may not survive the winter.
How to Manage Snow Around Plants Safely
Proper snow management can drastically reduce winter damage and help your plants emerge healthier in spring.
1. Gently remove heavy snow from shrubs.
Use an upward brushing motion with your hands or a soft broom. Avoid shaking branches aggressively—this can cause them to snap.
2. Support vulnerable evergreens before storms.
Tie upright shrubs like cedars loosely with jute or soft twine to prevent branches from splaying open. Burlap wrapping also helps reduce snow load and windburn.
3. Avoid piling shoveled snow onto garden beds.
Snow from driveways and walkways often contains salt or de-icing chemicals, which can harm plants and alter soil pH.
4. Create windbreaks where needed.
Temporary barriers—like burlap screens—can protect exposed evergreens from drying winter winds that compound snow damage.
5. Do NOT remove ice manually.
Chipping, cracking, or forcing ice off branches almost always causes more harm. Allow ice to melt naturally.
Post-Snow Care for Your Garden
Once the snow begins to melt, it’s time to assess your garden for winter damage. Look for:
Split or broken branches on trees and shrubs
Frost-heaved plants that need to be gently pushed back into the soil
Areas of compacted snow or ice that prevented proper drainage
Evergreen foliage that has browned due to snow load or windburn
