Here’s what to do with plants when freezing rain blankets the garden

In my opinion there’s nothing worse than freezing rain. For driving, walking and the garden. When trees, shrubs and other plants are covered with a thick coating of ice, the best thing to do is let them thaw naturally. You’ll do more damage than good trying to free the branches from Mother Nature’s icy grip.

This azalea had a thin layer of ice form on a leaf. As things warmed up the ice slid off the leaf, but then froze on the tip of the leaf. Photos by Doug Oster

The same is true for the most part with wet snow. Sometimes I’ll go out and gently shake something that I think is in jeopardy of breaking.

These are the kind of days to cuddle up with seed catalogs and let the ice melt away.

Azalea leaves which are still in fall color are covered in freezing rain.

Anemone stalks and seed heads are covered in ice from a freezing rain.

Ice forms on the baffle of a bird feeder in the garden.