Do Spring Snowstorms Harm Your Garden? How to Protect It?

The wet and sticky spring snowstorm always makes me sad. Not only for its gloomy characteristics but also if the snowstorm lasts for an extended period, it leaves devastating footmarks on my garden. It is truly sad to watch my hard work in the winter and spring become wasted in such a way.

If you live in southeast Kentucky, you know the devastating capabilities of this storm. But, if you are a gardener living in the Ohio, Middle Mississippi, New England, etc. areas with moderate spring snowstorms, you might have a query about the associated impacts on your garden. 

To provide you with effective knowledge, I answer the question of do spring snowstorms harm your garden. I also show you how to protect it from the snowstorm. Let’s start.

Understanding Spring Snowstorms

At the very first point, a spring snowstorm is an unexpected meteorological phenomenon. This storm strikes when the cold air masses colloid with warm air originating due to spring. 

In this case, the cold Arctic air flows from the North, and the warm air flows from the south. In their flight path, when they encounter each other, an unusual pattern of precipitation occurs, which does not generate rain but snow. 

If you are not experienced with this exceptional attitude of nature, I want to inform you that this type of storm can hit the ground in the form of snow dust or blizzard.

Do Spring Snowstorms Harm Your Garden?

I want to be precise at the first point to answer this question. If the snowstorm’s power is lower and lasts for one or two hours with dusty snowfall, your garden will not be damaged. 

This type of spring snowstorm only creates a thin layer of ice on the leaves and the soil, which melt down within an hour as soon as the sun shows up. But, the problem occurs when the snowstorm lasts for more than 10 hours. 

Sometimes, the spring snowstorms go on for 1-3 days consistently. This type of snowstorm damages your garden substantially if you do not take any preventive measures.

Damage Types of the Garden Due to Spring Snowstorm

The heavy spring snowstorms can damage your garden in various ways. The following are the details of the damaging criteria.

Plants Become Frosted

After the heavy snowfall, the tender vegetable, fruit, and flower plants freeze. Due to the associated low temperature, the delicate tissues accommodate damages, which results in wilting, the plant body being broken, the browning of leaves, and even the death of the plant. 

Most importantly, if the plants encounter heavy snowstorms in the spring, they come up with degraded yield as the buds and flowers become ruined significantly.

Imposing Snow Weignt on the Plants

The accumulated snow deposition due to heavy snowstorms in spring imposes extreme weight on the plants. The branches, leaves, flowers, fruits, crops, etc., become unbearable and break down. 

The severe spring snowstorm has the capacity to damage the seedlings totally. Even if some seedlings survive, they cannot provide the expected yield due to the hosted damage during the spring snowfall.

Uprooting of Plants due to Soil Erosion

It is easily understandable that the deposited snow will melt after the storm stops. But, the melted snow carries away the top and secondary layers of the soil. 

It causes soil erosion, weakening the bond between the soil and the roots. Finally, the plants get uprooted.

Weakening Soil properties

When the snowballs hit the garden soil, the associated force triggers compaction, deteriorating the soil structure. Also, the melted ice takes away the soil’s nutrients, resulting in degraded soil fertility. 

Both of these two cases negatively impact the growth and yield of the plant.

Damaging Garden Infrastructure

The heavy spring snowstorm not only harms the plants and soil but also destroys the garden infrastructure. The wind, snow weight, and the force in collision result in the down of garden structures like houses, fences, water reservoirs, irrigation systems, and so on. 

Additionally, the combination of snow load and the high-velocity wind damages the sheds, storing facilities, etc.

How to Protect the Garden from Spring Snowstorms

You can apply the strategies listed below to protect the garden’s components from the snowstorms in the spring.

Cover the Plants

You have to cover the plants using a bedsheet, heavy-duty plastic sheet, or frost cloth. This action is effective in protecting the plants from frosting as the cover creates a microclimatic condition under the sheet to keep the temperature at a tolerant level.

Incorporating Temporary Shelters

This approach is highly suitable for protecting sensitive plants from snowstorms. If you live in an area where spring snowstorms are very common, I suggest you plant the susceptible plants on a movable tray. 

As soon as you receive the weather forecast mentioning a potential snowstorm’s occurrence, remove the plant trays from the open garden and keep them in the shelter until the storm finishes.

Mulching

It is a very good approach to protect the plants and soil from snowstorms. If you place an additional layer of mulch on top of the soil, this layer will act as an insulator. 

So, in the effect of frosting, the root will not experience temperature decline, restricting damage. Also, the layer of the mulch will restrict soil erosion and compaction.

Shaking the Plants

This protective measure is applicable if your garden has a limited number of plants and the severity of the snowstorm is low. 

After the storm ends, you shake the plants one by one. The created vibration and movement will lose the snow deposition, and the snow will fall.

Create Wind Breakers

In the case of spring snowstorms, the snowfall is not just the problem; the high-velocity wind also can damage the plants. You must create well-organised windbreakers to protect the plants from wind flow damage. 

In this case, you must divide the whole garden into several portions. Then, at the boundary between the portions, you have to plant bush trees that do not grow more than 5-6 feet.

Protecting Potted Plants

Like me, if you also have potted plants on your porch or balcony, you must take those indoors as soon as you receive a snowstorm warning. 

However, this strategy is not applicable if your potted plant number is enormous. Just imagine taking hundreds of potted plants indoors within a couple of hours. It’s a tough job indeed.

Be Responsive

I suggest you be well-informed about the pattern of snowstorms occurring in your area during spring. In this way, you will be aware of the possible timelines of snowstorm hits. This will allow you ample time to take necessary protective measures.

Use an Effective Weather App

Embracing the latest technology is another lucrative option to protect your garden from the snowstorm in the spring. By using a functional weather app, you will be able to be constantly updated and ready to deal with the upcoming snowstorm. 

The app will give you an advance notification with all the necessary details to help you measure the severity level of the storm. Upon analyzing the snowstorm’s severity level, you decide on and implement a particular protective measure.

End Note

I hope my answer to do spring snowstorms harm your garden has helped you understand the whole scenario. Indeed, the level of damage varies based on the severity level of the storm. 

However, you can protect your garden by implementing the abovementioned protective measures. Also, timely action and a deep understanding of the garden’s vulnerabilities during snowstorms can save your garden. 

Finally, I suggest you go for plants that grow 3-6 feet if you reside in an area where the intensity and frequency of spring snowstorms are high.