Last week was a trying time for all of us just to keep warm and safe during extreme cold temperatures and devastating ice. It was also a trying time for plant materials. You only need to step outside in your yard to verify that your plants suffered along with you. The impact of this storm will be felt into the summer and for some plants even over the next few years.
I am sure you have seen the brown shrubs and defoliating plants in your yard. The extreme cold temperatures, down to mid-teens in some areas, are not temperatures our plants are used to experiencing. Unfortunately, some plants growing in this area will not survive these temperatures. Other plants will survive but with variable types of damage including leaf drop, dead wood, and splitting of stems and branches. Some plants will regrow from the roots.
I have said all of this to encourage each of you to be patient with this process. Most of us are short on patience due to the circumstances of the past year, but this situation also calls for patience.
For the plantings in your yard, I have the following suggestions:
· Do not cut back any of your brown and dead looking plants at this time. Wait a few weeks to see if new buds break out from the stem. If you see new growth, then cut back to where the new buds are developing and wait to see if these plants continue to come out and grow.
· Just because your plant is brown, it does not mean it is dead. Plants can leaf back out on the stems.
· Your perennials can also regrow from the root system if plant tops have been killed by the cold weather. If you see no regrowth by April, cut these plants back to the ground and wait a little longer to see if they push new growth. Again, patience is needed.
· Water all your plants when needed and continue to water and fertilize to encourage regrowth. Do not let them stress from drought. Recent rains have been beneficial.
· Many of the brown leaves on your trees will begin to fall and that is good. If trees have freeze damage, this will start to show up on outer branches and trunks as we go through the stress of the summer. If you have broken branches in your trees, remove back to connecting branches. Do not leave stubs.
I will continue to provide updates on plant materials throughout the upcoming months. For now, patience is needed. It will take time to resolve all the freeze damage problems in your yard and in the common areas.