Snow-leave or not?

[caroline7758]

I'm just wondering whether it's better to leave alone plants that are covered in snow, in the hope it will act as insulation, or whether to knock the snow off to avoid damage? I'm talking about shrubs mainly.

[caroline7758]

[Digitalis]

The snow will act as insulation against the harder temperatures, but be careful that the stems are not being snapped by the weight of the snow.

Consider flicking the snow off the more delicate plants,  but leave it on the stronger ones.

[Unwashed]

I've shaken it off my conifers that had their branches bent down with it.  I don't think it's a problem on the compact ones.

[ACE]

We had a thread last year. Titled 'Poor mans fertiliser'. Just think of the goodness that will go in the soil when it thaws. Worth a few broken stems.

[caroline7758]

Isn't it just water, Ace? ???

[ACE]

Here is a copy and paste from another site. Not my own work.

Well, it turns out not only snow, but rain as well, contains nitrogen compounds that were suspended in air as they formed. It is estimated that 2 to 12 pounds of nitrogen are deposited per acre as a result of snow and rain. Most of this nitrogen comes from emissions as a result of burning fossil fuels and industrial manufacturing. The rest comes from lightning fixing atmospheric nitrogen, which makes up 70 percent of air, as I recall.

[grawrc]

I told the hebes but they just said "make it stop...".

[Pesky Wabbit]

We had a thread last year. Titled 'Poor mans fertiliser'. Just think of the goodness that will go in the soil when it thaws. Worth a few broken stems.

Please can you paste a link as I can't get search to find it  :(

I'm particularly interested in the "Most of this nitrogen comes from emissions as a result of burning fossil fuels and industrial manufacturing. The rest comes from lightning fixing atmospheric nitrogen ..." statements. 

I'd like to know the facts behind these curious statements.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Lightning does fix atmospheric nitrogen, and nitrous oxide is a major greenhouse gas. I'd like to know more of their presence in snow and rain though.

[caroline7758]

Well, it's all gone now,anyway!

[grawrc]

Not here Caroline!

[laurieuk]

Wish it had I measured five inches on our lawn today (Friday 15th)

Well, it's all gone now,anyway!