You can salvage snow-laden trees, shrubs

Last month's monster snowstorm caused a monstrous amount of damage to trees and shrubs in the Salt Lake Valley. Drive through any neighborhood, and you'll likely encounter broken limbs littering the side of the roads.

But the recent storm damage seemed much worse than usual. Why? An early freeze kept many leaves from dropping. When the heavy, wet snow fell, it weighed down branches and split trunks.

Such snowfall can weigh several pounds per cubic foot. When heavy snow collects on the ends of the branches, the resulting leverage breaks the branches. Anything under those branches — including electrical wires, buildings, cars or people — are at serious risk.

Trees and shrubs in Utah are usually accustomed to snow. However, the recent drought has allowed many trees to develop without stresses or strains from snowloads. Consequently, many problems went uncorrected until last month.

While things may look bad, the damage usually isn't fatal. You can restore or salvage most trees and shrubs, although it may take several years for them to get to the size and shape they once were.

As you evaluate damaged trees and shrubs in your yard, look to correct the immediate damage but keep in mind long-term preventive measures that will help trees withstand such difficulties.

This week we'll focus on shrubs. Next week we will focus on larger trees.

Whenever doing any corrective pruning, remember that most plants look best when they grow naturally. However, if damage is severe (or if the shrub poses a danger), removing it is probably the best option.

Arborvitae and upright junipers and yews have long, upright limbs that easily pull out of shape when snow or ice collects on them. The best way to prevent damage is to wrap them to prevent snow from pulling the limbs out of shape.

If the snow has done its damage, options are limited. Remove the snow as soon as possible. Wrapping may help some at this stage, but if the branches are permanently bent, the only way to salvage them is by pruning.

However, this leaves large areas without foliage, making the plants unattractive for several years. Make the cuts back to a side branch that points in the direction you want the plant to grow.

On many upright deciduous shrubs — lilac, beautybush, honeysuckle, forsythia — the solution is to remove branches that are causing problems. Most upright deciduous shrubs grow and look their best when you remove one third of the older branches each season.