Recent frost has killed or damaged millions of plants nationwide. Now what? Plant expert Nick Federoff says it’s not too late to protect clients' plants that haven't completely died. It may also be a good idea to educate the client on what to do.
“Landscape plants are a major investment in any yard,” says Federoff. “taking action before rigor mortise sets in will make the difference in whether plants live or not.”
Plants that are considered evergreen in southern California, like bougainvillea, are actually semi-deciduous or deciduous back east will now take on those characteristics of loosing their leaves completely making it look like the plant is dead.
"Don't get shovel happy just yet and pull the plant out," he says. "Plants with these characteristics will come back to life.”
Many other plants may not be so lucky on the surface, but, indeed will come back.
“Frost damage makes a plant look like someone took a torch to it," he says. "Ironically enough, for some plants they will come back to life. And, here’s the hard part. When frost damages a plant you don't want to prune the bad parts off. The bad parts will protect the rest of the plant should another frost come along.”
Another plan of action is to build up the root system of a plant with special vitamins and hormones – but don't fertilize. Cover plants with bed sheets or tarps, encourage customers to bring potted plants under a patio, wrap containers in newspaper or bubble wrap, place gallon jugs of water next to plants, create humidity for container plants with a bed of rocks, slightly move air so frost can't settle.
For more information on what to do with frost bitten landscape plants, contact Federoff at 562/945-6469.