Post by SpyderLady on Apr 9, 2007 21:37:09 GMT -6
In the aftermath of the recent record-breaking cold spell, gardeners must be patient with their damaged plants, especially our trees and shrubs. The freeze puts a damper on what had turned out to be an early, but beautiful spring.
At this time it appears the worst injury is limited to open flowers, new buds, and new foliage. Spent flowers will be shed and most of the damaged leaves will continue to deteriorate in the days ahead, eventually drying up and falling off. Expect the appearance of your garden to decline aesthetically for a period of weeks before fresh, new growth returns. It may take until mid-summer before your garden looks “normal” again.
Perennials with damaged leaves and stems can be cut back to the ground and will respond with rapid new growth. However, resist the temptation to prune frosted trees and shrubs. Healthy well-established plants will produce new growth. How quickly this occurs will depend on individual species, location in the landscape, and the severity of the damage sustained.
Resist the temptation to fertilize heavily. With the loss of flower buds, all of the trees energy will be channeled into vigorous vegetative regrowth. Fertilizer could actually produce excesses of growth that will have to pruned at a later date, creating higher maintenance in the long term.
Water cautiously. Avoid soggy conditions which can do more harm than good, but do irrigate during long dry spells. Reducing water stress may be the single best thing you can do to help your plants recover this summer.
Overall, consider this untimely freeze only a temporary setback. Given time and patience, our gardens will recover. Since every dark cloud always has a silver lining, on the plus side we probably won’t have to worry about raking up any Sweetgum balls this autumn.
Chip Tynan
Missouri Botanical Garden “Answer Man”
William T. Kemper Center for Home Gardening
P.S. For specific inquiries, call the Garden’s Horticultural Answer Service, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon, at (314) 577-5143, or visit the Gardening Help section of the website at www.mobot.org.
At this time it appears the worst injury is limited to open flowers, new buds, and new foliage. Spent flowers will be shed and most of the damaged leaves will continue to deteriorate in the days ahead, eventually drying up and falling off. Expect the appearance of your garden to decline aesthetically for a period of weeks before fresh, new growth returns. It may take until mid-summer before your garden looks “normal” again.
Perennials with damaged leaves and stems can be cut back to the ground and will respond with rapid new growth. However, resist the temptation to prune frosted trees and shrubs. Healthy well-established plants will produce new growth. How quickly this occurs will depend on individual species, location in the landscape, and the severity of the damage sustained.
Resist the temptation to fertilize heavily. With the loss of flower buds, all of the trees energy will be channeled into vigorous vegetative regrowth. Fertilizer could actually produce excesses of growth that will have to pruned at a later date, creating higher maintenance in the long term.
Water cautiously. Avoid soggy conditions which can do more harm than good, but do irrigate during long dry spells. Reducing water stress may be the single best thing you can do to help your plants recover this summer.
Overall, consider this untimely freeze only a temporary setback. Given time and patience, our gardens will recover. Since every dark cloud always has a silver lining, on the plus side we probably won’t have to worry about raking up any Sweetgum balls this autumn.
Chip Tynan
Missouri Botanical Garden “Answer Man”
William T. Kemper Center for Home Gardening
P.S. For specific inquiries, call the Garden’s Horticultural Answer Service, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon, at (314) 577-5143, or visit the Gardening Help section of the website at www.mobot.org.
How in the world did he cover a whole field of strawberries is what I want to know?!
They are already almost too high for me to afford!!!!!!!!!! And I got to have some fruit!
I love watermelons!!