Snow Fences

Snow fences trap the snow that might otherwise be trapped in shrubs. Which fence you choose depends on how much snow is common in your area, what fencing is available, the size of the plant you want to protect and how much snow you want to trap.

In this project, master gardener Chris Dawson and landscape expert Pam Duthie protect a butterfly garden from drifting snow by building a large-scale snow fence. The garden contains spent perennials that will be left standing through the winter to attract birds to the seed heads. It will also provide a habitat for smaller animals.

Dawson and Duthie use orange plastic fencing that comes in rolls of 4 feet by 100 feet; it's a high-density polymer that is designed to stand up to the wet and cold of winter. Unlike natural materials, it won't expand from a build-up of moisture and it won't deteriorate. However, its bright orange color is a little out of the ordinary for the garden, so it may not be aesthetically pleasing for some.

Any fencing material you choose should have 40 to 50 percent open space. This allows the wind to pass through the fence while trapping snow particles.

Start by putting stakes in the ground around the garden. You can entirely surround the garden or just put the fencing along the side of the garden that is exposed to prevailing winds. Leave a couple of feet between the edge of the garden and the fence. Fasten the fence to the stakes.

• Place several lengths of fencing throughout the garden by the shrubs.
  
• Set the fencing up at an angle perpendicular to the prevailing wind. This way they deflect wind gusts without having to surround the entire garden.

• Build the frame with two pieces of plywood, which are already nailed to a thicker wooden strut.
  
• Pound the panels into the ground on an angle so that they form a triangle over the plant.
  
• Make sure that they are securely in the ground so that they won't cave in or tip over.

Another simpler snow frame can be made out of a wire basket. Simply mulch around the plant then place the basket, upside down, over the plant. The leaves will collect against the frame and add further insulation, while the wire frame will keep the weight of snow off the plant.