Remember, screens may function as snow fences. Place them so snow won't accumulate on walkways and drives. In addition to injury caused by wind, some plants are injured by drastic temperature changes or specific minimum low temperatures. Every species has a minimum tolerance level. When temperatures drop below that point for extended periods of time, injury can occur.
Research indicates that roots are often less tolerant of low temperatures than top growth.
When a plant leafs out in the spring and then quickly dies after a few weeks, it's possible that its roots were killed by low temperature during the previous winter. Under these conditions there is enough moisture reserved in the stem to support bud and leaf formation, but a dead root system is unable to sustain a water supply to the new expanding leaves. The research suggests that root injury often occurs at temperatures 10 to 15 degrees warmer than those needed to injure stem and bud tissues. There is no real protection against low temperature injury, but a good insulating layer of snow over the root system can help. A layer of mulch will also help reduce temperature fluctuations in the root zone and prevent roots and soil from drying.