Don’t Reach for the Pruners! Caring for Your Landscape After Cold Temperatures

As I am writing this, here in Pinellas County Florida, we are gearing up for some of the coldest weather we have seen in over 15 years. The last time we saw temperatures dip below 36 degrees and wind chills in the 20’s, was 2010. This is a scary time for those of us in the nursery industry, each of us working to protect hundreds of thousands of dollars of precious inventory before the cold and windy weather sets in. It’s quite similar to hurricane preparation in the amount of work it takes to secure and protect our merchandise. Equally so, homeowners and property managers are worried about their landscapes too. The major investment that goes into the creation and implementation of a unique and beautiful landscape flashes before your eyes as the forecasts begin to look unfavorable.

Luckily, for most landscapes things will be just fine. Plants in the ground fare much better than nursery stock in black pots above ground. The roots are exposed and subject to the frigid temperatures with nothing but a millimeters thick piece of plastic between them and the cold air. So what should homeowners do after the cold weather has come and gone?

The golden rule here is usually, NOTHING. Especially those landscapes with geographically native plant material that are evolved for this sort of weather cycle. Where we can find a little more trouble is for our tropical non native species and also our south Florida native species that may not typically be found this far north.

The “Do’s”: Immediate post-cold action

1. Remove all frost protecting covers. The heat and moisture from the ground below and sun above will heat things up a bit too much for the plants and can cause additional damage.
2. Hydrate Early: Dry, windy air (after any cold front rain) will dry up plants much faster than usual. It’s important to check soil moisture and decide if watering is needed. We prefer deep soaks here.
3. Assess the Damage: Walk the landscape checking out the plant material. Some cold damage is noticeable very quickly for softer tissue plants, others may take a couple days to show. Differentiate between wind burnt leaves (crispy/brown leaves) and mushy/drooping leaves (true freeze damage).
4. Move containers back into their permanent location. It’s important for plants to get back into the sun as quickly as possible.

The “Don’ts”: Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. STOP, Do Not Prune: This is the most critical mistake to avoid. This is because dead foliage acts as an insulation to the living wood below it. Also, pruning stimulates the plant to respond with new growth. This is something we want to avoid in the middle of winter where another damaging cold front could move through causing greater harm to the more susceptible new growth.
2. Skip Fertilizing: Just like how pruning stimulates new growth, fertilizer does the same. And we want to avoid pushing plant material into new growth until Spring season is upon us.
3. No Panic Pulling: Just because the plant looks dead, does not mean it necessarily is. That is why we go through efforts to keep the roots warmer than the air with watering and covering before the cold. Wait until Spring when plants will emerge with signs of life.

What to Expect

Unfortunately, you will expect to see visible damage. Much of it will be considered aesthetically unappealing. And we aren’t used to that in this part of Florida where winter doesn’t always cause noticeable changes to our landscape.

You will see wilted plants, dry and crispy leaves, and even leaf drop. This is normal and will be unsightly at first because it is out of the norm. But in nature, it is completely normal.

Also expect that come spring, some plants may not emerge from the damage and need replacement. Upon replacing, check with your local garden center on some hardier options if you desire.

Landscapes in open, sunny locations will likely experience more damaging effects. Those sheltered by large trees typically see less damage in these locations. Another testament to the life saving power of shade trees.

Plants to Expect Leaf Burn and Drop

Planning for the Future

I am a big advocate of the need for more trees in the urban landscapes. Not only do trees serve as windbreaks both for cold fronts and hurricanes, but they also protect and insulate from damaging cold temperatures. Check your landscape and see where a nice shade tree may be good to incorporate. Remember: in most cases you are planting shade trees for the next generation.

You can also work to create wind breaks using mixed hedges or saw palmettos. I remember a time in Jekyll Island walking down a nice quiet trail to the beach. I was among dense and large saw palmettos, sand live oak trees, and cedar trees. It wasn’t until the trail took a straight shot to the beach with nothing between me and the waves that I felt the tremendous amount of wind pushing from the Atlantic. The saw palmettos had virtually stopped this wind to the point I had no idea there was so much as a light breeze.

Go into winter with fresh mulch. Two to three inches of mulch makes a very big difference when matched with these cold temperatures. It also brightens up your property on these cool and sometimes gloomy days.

Conclusion

Patience is a virtue in the landscape, especially when rebounding from seriously cold and infrequent weather. Spring in Florida is just around the corner and the landscape is ready and waiting.

Stop by your local garden center to chat with the experts to find some cold hardy plant choices or replacements for any that did not make it. You can also stop by a local extension office to ask some more science based questions or to help identify any issues with your plants.