Freeze Damage

04-09-2007

Because of the unusual freeze damage we have experienced in the last few days, some of our experienced members were contacted to get their suggestions on how to best deal with the damage. Some of their comments follow:

Hostas

Brian White said he had managed to protect most of his hostas. But for those he missed, he will cut damaged hostas back to a CRISP part. Then he will water and use liquid fertilizer and seaweed extract.

Pam Reddoch said she discovered a black landscape fabric that she used to cover her hostas. It was effective and “saved every hosta I covered.” She also used a lot of 3 to 5 gallon black nursery pots that were also effective. She said Howard Luttrell told her that damaged hostas should be pruned back and then fertilized about every 5 days with liquid fertilizer until new growth is up and strong.

Ferns and Wildflowers

Pam Reddoch said in the past she has cut frost bitten ferns off and they grew back immediately. Wildflowers have done okay without any special attention.

Nancy Robinson said she had walked along her creek to survey the damage. Some wildflowers are okay but some are badly damaged. Most of the ferns are destroyed. She said “I am going to feed the plants when the new leaves start coming out to help them along. Grooming will help the looks, but the new leaves need all the help we can give in the way of water and low nitrogen fertilizer.”

She sent me an e-mail sent to her by a friend documenting the damage he had sustained in Gatlinburg. He said there was extensive damage to his trilliums. He said, “I suspect that damage this extensive was caused by the serious drought and extremely warm weather we’ve been having combined with abnormally low temperatures followed by the sun coming out with rapid warming.”

Perennials

(Elin) Someone commented today about the Hellebores and the fact that they are completely oblivious to this event. I have also noticed that Aquilegias (Columbines) have also come through pretty well as did garden phlox (to my surprise). The bleeding hearts appear to be finished for this year. In a few days when the extent of the damage is evident I will trim the tops of my daylilies and they will come through just fine. I managed to cover most of my true lilies. I am surprised that some of my clematis seem to have survived. Salvia ‘May Night’ is fine, most of the Salvia guaranitica (which I covered) is okay, and Salvia greggii is drooping but may make it.


Shrubs and Trees

This is the area in which the most serious damage has been incurred. You can forget azaleas for this year. The foliage on the hydrangeas, Japanese maples, redbuds and crepe myrtles has been destroyed, new growth on boxwoods and hollies has been frozen back, and blossoms and fruit on a number of trees have been wiped out. Nancy’s friend in Gatlinburg said, “Things that I’ve never seen damaged by the cold have been hurt by what we’ve seen in the last three days.”

I contacted Beaver Creek Nursery for advice, and Brenda told me Mike advised us to do nothing until you can see what the extent of the damage is. Then it may be necessary to cut back the damage but that’s about all you can do.
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In summary, try not to cry too much—better days will come. For all your garden, keeping it well watered may be the best thing you can do for these stressed plants, and it may be wise to feed them somewhat better than usual. Patience is the best advice anyone can give.

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