[N.S. Rob]

I have some small dwarf evergreens(6"). They are completely buried with snow. Should I uncover them of leave the snow on them like insulation? I didn't do it last year and they all lived, but I just wondered if I got lucky.

 

[Richard Weatherby]

I have never dug out any of mine in the past 6 - 8 years. I don't think it will harm them unless they are buried for 6 months. They suffer more from wind burn than from cold or snow. Some that I trimmed late last year had dry ends and some dead needles but they seem to be recovering. May be it was too late to trim. The Alberta Spruces are pretty hardy.

 

[jimtyp]

I had a couple last year that the top was bent over from snow, if this happens I'd remove enough snow so the top is not bent.

 

[markperr]

I concur with Rich.  Leave them buried as it won't hurt them.  The wind has a tendency to suck away the moisture from the tree and it loses that moisture through the needles.  Your plants aren't sucking a lot of moisture in right now and are in a state of dormancy.  They can stand to keep as much of the moisture as is possible.

Mark

 

[D-n-H - Kirkville Branch]

i concur with mark. snow can actually act as an insulator and protect the plants over winter. just make sure your planting plants in your growing zone and forget about em in the winter, nobody moves the snow off them in nature and they are still around right?

 

[carpenter matt]

My aborist grandfather would have said leave the snow unless it's bending over( as Jim Said) and keep in mind that when the snow melts it waters the plant. Also if it is a dry winter he would say dump water on them (At the base), even if it freezes it will eventually melt and water them.

He was in charge of the trees, rest stops etc. for Penndot.

 

[lvmosher]

Leave them be