HOW TO MINIMIZE AND PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGES AFTER THE GARDENFREEZE


I am starting to reveal what the January hard freeze did to our garden. For instance, I do not think all of the Princess palm trees survived. As you can see from the picture, the leaves are yellow and brown more than green.
It’s in any case time to start the big spring cleanup in the garden. Though the really hardcore gardeners swear to end of February or the start of March here on the Gulf coast to cut back and groom shrubs, trees, and plants. And they have very, very good reasons.
The plants who have got their frost withered limbs removed, and also have received fresh cuts into green, fresh wood will be incredibly vulnerable to frost damages again.
So if really cold wind and frost hits again you have to be super, super committed to cover all tender plants with blankets, farm fleece, cardboard and whatever else you might have at hand.
But there is some first aid we need to do to some of the struggling plants because of the frost damages, so why not start with things who will make the garden look slightly better.
First, you have to remove wet and rotting plant parts. Like the Agave “leaves” that are destroyed by the frost. If damaged and dead leaves are allowed to be a rotting blanket around the central core of the plant the rot will probably infect into healthy tissue, and the whole plant will probably die.







You can read more about frost, winter protection and cold weather and plants in these links:
What to do after the frost, It’s time to cover up! How to cover up tender plants fast, How to prune Lantana