Avoiding winter damage

[capman1]

Hi everyone,

I planted some Diablo Ninebark earlier this summer and they are taking off with unbelievable speed. It is nearing the end of our summer up in Northern Maine and I need information on how to keep these guys from taking winter damage. The snow drifts in this corner of the house and sometimes comes off the roof here as well. My problem is that they are getting so large, the standard V shaped plywood covers that everyone puts over shrubs are not going to work as these are over 5 feet at the base and almost 5 feet high as well. Should I cut the long branches back so I can make those little shelters or is there something else I should do for them. Any Ideas are appreciated.

I'm attaching a picture of them as well.

Thanks,

Matt

ninebarks01.jpg (50.97 KiB) Viewed 931 times

[tomc]

If avoiding winter damage is the greater issue, plant it away from the eve.

If your garden design is the greater issue practice pruning it to fit in a shelter.

[rainbowgardener]

The long branches should be cut back once it is dormant in the fall anyway, to give it better shape.

Another way to insulate the shrub, after you mulch the soil well, is to put a chicken wire cylinder around it, a little taller and wider than the shrub is after pruning. Fill the cylinder with fall leaves. But if a load of snow is going to get dumped on it all at once from the roof, you probably need to put some kind of cover over it too - just a plastic garbage bag might be enough, just to keep all that snow from landing on the shrub all at once.

[capman1]

Thanks for the info. It's not so much snow coming off the roof as it is the drifting problem in this corner. Snow tends to settle and mash a shrub on it's own without falling from a roof. I'll trim them back and make covers just the same. Moving them isn't an option... I like them where they are. Thanks again.

Matt

[applestar]

I know I don't have a full appreciation of the kind of snow cover you are talking about, but if drifting snow is the problem, could you maybe try to block that with one or more snow fence or other temporary fence barrier?

[!potatoes!]

I would think drifting snow could be a good thing. rather have plants somewhat insulated by snow than out in the cold dry winter air.