After the Storm

Taking your first look at the landscape after a late spring snow storm in Colorado is like viewing your scraped knee immediately after a bike crash. You hope it will be a minor scrape with no deep cuts followed by lasting scars. How'd your knees fair from last night's rain - snow - cold crash? 

And we have another night of this, or so the weather experts say!! Yikes, not happy but love the moisture, not the smashed and broken plants.

Our Splayed Clump Maple

The range of landscape damage is already being posted across social media and local news. The tips and suggestions are fairly straight forward, I'll re-cap them here.
 
First, take a deep breath. I'm taking several deep breaths as I compose this blog.

• Since we're due for more rain and possibly snow later today or tonight, brush off heavy snow from trees and shrubs - gently, really gently as soon as you can. 
• I use a soft bristle broom and carefully lift up branches so the snow falls. I also use my hands and lift off snow clumps (have a few extra gloves on hand, they get soaked quickly). 
• A couple of smaller trees with flexible gymnastic-like bent branches benefit from a VERY gentle shake, wear a hat, prepare for snow down the back of your shirt even with a coat on. 
• The perennials are tricky to care and comfort after heavy snow. Either leave them alone to dry out or carefully brush off the snow, your call. 
• Peonies and other tall perennials really took a hit. Sit and cry if it will help. In another day or so when the sun is out take a full survey of the damage. Broken plants need to be pruned. Cut back broken stems on perennials to just above healthy buds or leaves. 
• Call in your professional tree company to prune large trees and broken or unsafe branches in your yard and over public streets and sidewalks. Immediately call the utility company if branches are over power lines.
• There's plenty of time to re-plant and re-seed annuals and vegetables if you didn't cover (or the cover was inadequate and the plants didn't make it or will be severely set back in growth). You might want to get to the garden center before Saturday because they will be busy!

Take a few more deep breaths, our scraped landscapes will heal just like our knees.

Additional Resources:

Storm Damaged Trees CSU Video

Local News Reports:

The Denver Post Snow Totals

Washington Park Damage

Biggest Late Snow in 44 Years 

Snow Damage Video