The weather has become unpredictable, to say the least. These days, you might find snowflakes falling when under more usual circumstances you’d have a midwinter rain. If you are inexperienced in caring for your Encore Azaleas during winter snow, be sure to keep these easy tips on hand when the flakes start to fall.
When Flurries Fly
Don’t sweat a light dusting of snow that lays softly on your azaleas. Your Encore Azaleas are tougher than their springtime blooms let on. In fact, a layer of snow can actually insulate an azalea’s leaves, buds, and roots from freezing temperatures. So, should your light snow event be followed by several days of freezing, your shrubs will be good to go.
More Than A Little
Snow that piles up on branches of azaleas can sometimes cause damage. The weight of snow, especially the wet and heavy stuff, can cause branches to bend and even break. And because azaleas have broad, evergreen leaves, they have even more surface area on which snow can come to rest. Thankfully, there’s a simple solution! Simply brush off the snow with a broom or rake, taking care not to damage any buds. The extra snow you release onto the ground will benefit the roots by seeping into the ground for a midwinter watering.
Walloped with a Whiteout
Are you expecting 8 or more inches? A large amount like that can be a bit too much to simply brush off and away from your azaleas. If that’s the case, you’ll need a barrier around your shrubs to keep the snow from piling on and around them. Wrap your azalea with a length of burlap. Secure it to stakes driven into the ground a few inches from the widest width of the shrub, then wrap around the Azalea as you might wrap a delicate gift. Be sure to cover all the way over the top to keep snow out. You’re attempting to keep all that snow from burdening the azaleas’ branches.
Don’t Pile It On
It’s not only falling snow you have to worry about. When you’re shoveling snow from your walkway and sidewalks, watch where you put it! We have a tendency to throw that snow haphazardly in order to clear paths. Just be careful to direct your shovelfuls away from your azaleas—or any other shrubs, for that matter. Not only might you damage branches with the snow, but you may also be shoveling salt and snow melt products onto your garden beds, too.
Just remember, keeping an eye on your Encore Azaleas during a snowstorm will save you from the work of trimming and damage control in spring. Enjoy the good weather when it comes!