Ask Extension: What to do about heavy snow on new juniper shrubs?

Q: We acquired seven junipers 6’ tall this summer. They seem healthy but the snow is weighing down the branches on several of them. Can I wrap them with plastic snow fencing? We started with burlap but it's cumbersome and we need a lot of it.

A:  You'll want to prevent your junipers from getting damaged by the weight of the snow. Just gently shake the branches and that gives a temporary reprieve.

Wrapping your junipers with snow fencing would also prevent damage and, in fact, may be a better measure than merely shaking the branches. It will also protect from sun scald, too, but burlap is better and is primarily used for this purpose.

Wrap your shrubs with 2-3 layers of fencing to reduce  the drying effects of winter winds. If your junipers are in a north or north east location, the possibility of winter burn is reduced.

More Resources
Protecting Trees and Shrubs in Winter

From the University of Wisconsin Extension:
Winter Burn

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