February 26, 2026

Winter Recovery: Helping Your Landscape Bounce Back After Heavy Snow

Heavy snow can make your yard look like it’s taken a beating — bent branches, buried shrubs, and snowbanks piled high around young trees. The good news? Most New England landscapes are built to handle winter weather. With a little patience and a few simple checks, your plants will come through just fine.

Here’s what to look for as snow melts and temperatures fluctuate.

Snow Isn’t the Enemy (Most of the Time)

Fresh snow actually plays an important role in protecting plants during winter. It acts like an insulating blanket, helping stabilize soil temperatures and shielding roots from freeze–thaw cycles. Perennials, shrubs, and even newly planted trees benefit from this natural protection.

Problems tend to arise not from the cold itself, but from weight, breakage, and access — especially when snow piles up.

Check for Branch Damage First

As snow begins to melt, take a slow walk through your landscape and look for:

• Broken or split branches
• Limbs bent under heavy snow
• Branches resting on the ground or other plants

If a branch is clearly broken or cracked, it’s best to prune it cleanly once temperatures are consistently above freezing. Avoid pruning during extreme cold, when frozen wood is more likely to splinter. While resources like the Farmer’s Almanac are useful for understanding seasonal timing, pruning winter damage can be done well before the official last frost — as long as you wait for a stretch of milder weather.

Branches that are bent but unbroken often rebound on their own — give them time before making cuts. Check out our guide to dormant pruning for more details.

Watch for Critter Damage at the Base of Trees

Deep snow can create an unexpected problem: it raises the “ground level” for hungry animals.

When snow piles up, rabbits and other critters can stand on top of it, allowing them to reach bark higher up on trunks — sometimes above tree guards or cages that were effective earlier in the season.

What to look for

• Chewed or missing bark on young or newly planted trees
• Damage higher on the trunk than expected
• Clean, gnawed edges on bark (a classic sign of rabbit feeding)

What you can do

• Dig snow away from the base of trees to re-expose cages or trunk guards
• Make sure guards are still upright and securely in place
• Extend protection higher if needed while snow remains deep

Helpful product options

For added protection, repellents can be a useful supplement to physical barriers:

• Rabbit Scram – A granular repellent applied around the base of trees and planting areas. It uses scent cues to discourage rabbits from browsing and is easy to reapply as snow melts.
• Bobbex – A spray-on repellent that works through taste and smell. It can be applied directly to trunks and lower branches for broader coverage.

Repellents work best when combined with cages or guards, especially on newly planted trees, and should be reapplied as conditions change.

Avoid Shaking Snow Off Branches 

It’s tempting to knock snow off shrubs and trees, but this can do more harm than good. Frozen branches are brittle, and shaking them can cause breakage. 

If a branch is at immediate risk of snapping: 

• Gently brush snow upward and off, never downward 
• Use a broom instead of your hands 
• Let ice melt naturally when possible 

Be Patient With Evergreens 

Evergreens often look flattened or misshapen after heavy snow, but they’re surprisingly resilient. In most cases, branches will gradually return to their natural shape as temperatures warm. 

Hold off on pruning until spring. What looks like damage in midwinter often corrects itself by early growing season. 

Feed the Birds Through Winter Weather 

Heavy snow doesn’t just affect plants — it also makes food harder for birds to find. Feeding birds during winter storms and cold stretches gives them the energy they need to stay warm and healthy. 

A few simple tips: 

• Keep feeders filled and accessible, especially after storms 
• Brush snow off feeders and nearby perches 
• Offer high-energy foods like sunflower seed, suet, and mixed seed 
• Provide fresh water if possible, using bird baths

Bird feeding is a small effort that makes a big difference — and it brings welcome activity and life to the winter landscape while you wait for spring. 

 

Winter Recovery Is Mostly About Observation 

After a heavy snowstorm, the most important step is simply paying attention. A quick walk-through now — checking branches, tree guards, and trunk bases — can prevent small issues from becoming bigger problems later. 

With light pruning, refreshed protection, and continued bird feeding, your landscape will be well positioned for a strong spring recovery. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Winter Recovery

Should I remove snow from around my plants? 

In most cases, no. Snow insulates roots and protects plants from temperature swings. The exception is around young trees, where digging snow away from the trunk can help prevent animal damage. 

When is it safe to prune winter damage? 

Prune broken or cracked branches once temperatures are consistently above freezing. Avoid pruning during extreme cold. 

How can I tell if damage is from rabbits? 

Rabbit damage usually appears as clean, gnawed bark on the trunk, often several inches above ground — or higher when snow has piled up. 

Do repellents work in winter? 

Yes, especially when reapplied as snow melts. Repellents like Rabbit Scram and Bobbex work best when combined with physical protection such as cages or guards. 

Should I keep feeding birds after a storm? 

Yes. Winter storms reduce natural food sources, so maintaining feeders helps birds recover and conserve energy during cold weather.