March 30, 2015 | C.L. Fornari | Plants, Problem Solving, Shrubs
It’s been a brutal winter and now that the snow is finally thawing many area homeowners are finding that their shrubs and trees have broken branches, split trunks or cracked limbs. “Can I bind these back together and let them heal?” they want to know. Unfortunately the answer is no. Stems of plants don’t knit together like human bones do, and wrapping such broken branches with duct tape, cord, or other bindings ultimately isn’t successful and can further damage the plant. It’s better to make a clean cut and remove those broken stems.
Here are some other questions we’ve gotten from customers this week:
Q. Can I root the large Rhododendron branch that fell off one of my plants?
A. No, large branches don’t really root successfully. You can try rooting cuttings that are about 6″ tall, but not a large, mature limb. You might cut off one or two foot long pieces that have flower buds and bring them inside to force them into bloom. Be sure to change the water every two or three days while waiting for the buds to open.
Q. If I stick the pieces of my broken shrubs into the ground will they grow?
A. It depends on which shrubs you’re talking about. Willows and Forsythia will root successfully with this method, but most other plants will not.
Q. Now that the snow is gone I see that the bark at the base of my dogwood tree has been chewed off. Will this tree live?
A. If the bark has been removed around more than half of the circumference of the tree it’s likely that the tree will die. This is called “girdling” and in the winter either mice or voles are usually responsible. The tree is likely to break dormancy as usual, but then slowly decline as summer goes on. By all means wait and see what happens, but we think you may ultimately have to replace this plant.
Yes, we know that many people will end up with asymmetrical plants this spring. Some of these will fill out over time, some will gain character that makes them even more interesting and appealing as they mature, and others might need to be replaced. When in doubt, we’re happy to advise Cape Cod homeowners about pruning to improve the appearance of storm-damaged plants. Bring a photo of your damaged plant into the garden center so we can assist you.
And repeat after me: “Duct tape is not a gardening product.”
