Ultralawn, Inc. 1055 East 260th Street Euclid, Ohio  44132 (216) 731-7756 (440) 951-3738 Lawn Problems   We welcome the opportunity to answer your questions Winter Damage   Winter injury can take many forms. It can be the result of winter burn and temperature fluctuations or it can result from damage due to salt, snow or ice. Winter Burn: Winter burn usually takes place mid-January through March, when the grounds is still frozen and plant roots are dormant. When a thaw warms the plants, moisture drawn out of the leaves on sunny, windy winter days cannot be replaced because of the frozen roots. Winter burn is easy to detect. When the leaves dry out, they may look scorched or yellow to dark brown at the tips, outer margins or between the center and outer edges. The symptoms sometimes do not become evident until early spring. Arborvitae and rhododendrons are especially affected by desiccation.   Temperature: Injury due to temperature fluctuations can result from a loss in hardiness or from sun scald. As fall approaches, gradually lowering temperatures harden off woody plants. This pattern reverses as spring approaches. If temperatures fall too quickly and stay too low for a prolonged period of time, the plants may not have enough time to harden and can be injured. Early fall or late spring frosts cause the most damage. A mid or late winter thaw can cause the plant to lose hardiness and begin new growth which is injured or killed when the temperature drops again. Temperature injury results in the browning or die-back of newly-emerged shoots or buds. Flower buds may be killed while there is no obvious injury to the rest of the plant. Salt:   Salt in the soil during active growth can make water and essential nutrients difficult to absorb and affect the plant to other kinds of stress. However, salt is usually leached out of the soil by spring rains and causes little damage unless there is a winter thaw and roots come out of dormancy. Trees along a roadside may develop a one-sided appearance with the tips or margins of the leaves or needles looking burned as a result of salt from snow plows landing on the leaves. Snow and Ice: Snow and ice accumulation on the plant can cause physical damage, as the plant is very brittle when frozen. A result may be bent or broken stems or branches.   Copyright 2010-2011 Updated December 9, 2011 About • Lawn Care • Trees/Shrubs • Pest Barrier • Questions • Contact