STARTING OVER IN THE GARDEN
After a string of mild winters, we’d tucked thoughts of deep freezes away with our heavy coats. We’d grown bolder and slipped tropicals into the garden, bravely giving plumerias permanent homes in the landscape. Potted plants filled our patios.
But this historic big chill jolted us back to reality. Consecutive nights in the 20s freeze-dried many lush green landscapes into silent brown husks.
There’s no need to panic. Our gardens look bad, but soon a bit of green will be stirring.
We have a long growing season ahead of us. While landscapes have bared their bones, let’s assess the freeze damage and decide if it’s time to make big or small changes.
It’s obvious some plants are history. Impatiens and begonias are a reduction of soggy stems. Angelonias, pentas and ginger also might be toast.
What to do first? Clean up the mushy stuff immediately after a freeze, but don’t prune anything with bark until danger of frost has passed. Keep an eye on the forecast before taking the clippers to that dead wood on lantana, hibiscus, esperanza, duran
ta, plumbago, oleander and hamelia.
Give plants time to green up. If you can scratch its surface and see green tissue, it’s still alive.
Once we’re frost-clear, cut back into live wood. If there’s none above the soil line, remove the dead top and wait. Older, typically garden-hardy hibiscus varieties stand a better chance of repeat performances than tender tropical types.
Large, established oleanders likely will return; dwarf oleanders are iffy. Once-towering angel’s trumpet (Brugmansia spp.) now might resemble a soft-limbed candelabra, but it should return from the roots.
Unprotected lime and lemon trees also suffered, but grapefruit, orange and mandarin are surprisingly tolerant.
With some plants, it might be a longer wait-and-see proposition. Pre-freeze health, type, soil moisture, mulch and protection will influence their survival. Palms suffered badly. If there’s green in the crown, there’s hope. Don’t prune now, instead, spray the crown with a copper-based fungicide and again in 10 days. Apply a palm fertilizer with trace elements every two months March through September.
Lawn care
Removing the thatch will be a big job this year. Dethatching removes the thick layer of decaying plant material so that air, water, nutrients and fertilizer can reach the soil. It also helps with drainage.
For St. Augustine and Zoysia grass, the fertilizer schedule starts after the second mowing of the lawn in spring — usually about six weeks after the last frost. The grass should be actively growing so it can utilize the nitrogen quickly.
Time for a change?
With our gardens in their barest state, it’s a great time to evaluate.
A “correction” like we’ve had allows the plants that really belong here to perform. Be careful about tropicals — unless you treat them as annuals.
Roses are among the hardiest survivors — especially those with Old European genes. They may even bloom better this spring since they’ve finally been forced into dormancy.
Now’s also a good time to add hardscapes, such as a pergola, a sitting area or a cluster of pottery.
Perhaps you want a theme change, from tropical to native or cottage to Zen.
You could also use the opportunity to strengthen your design structure with trees and evergreen shrubs. Boxwood, cephalataxus, Chinese mahonia, leucothoe and nandina pulled through with little damage. Make note of smaller trees and large shrubs that will add seasonal interest and feed and shelter birds.
Determine how much room you have and choose plants based on mature size. Mix them for a more natural look, or plant just one variety or color as a focal point.
Cold-hardy plants
Evergreens add a sense of permanency to the garden. Those that take hot and cold include azaleas, boxwood, camellias, wax myrtle, Chinese mahonia, cephalotaxus, cleyera, cryptomeria, Indian hawthorn, junipers, ligustrum, loropetalum, various viburnums, hollies (trees and shrubs), yew and roses.
A hard freeze will ruin any blooms, but the plants should survive if watered and mulched.
Perennials that tolerate temperature extremes include coneflowers, daylilies and leopard plant, which is a shade plant. Lantana leaves burn but regrow in spring.
But for an instant fix while you consider long-term options, plant pots of cool-season color.