The recent artic blast has many Georgia Gardeners concerned about their ornamental plants. While our landscapes typically handle brief cold snaps, extended periods of unusually low temperatures can cause severe damage to many ornamentals, especially many of our southern favorites that are not made for extreme cold.
We typically first start to notice cold damage on leaves and steams; however, cold injury can happen on all parts of the plant including fruit, trunk and even the roots. Plants that are not adapt to the cold may sustain injury to the root system and may be severely damaged or killed and it does not become noticeable until the plant fails to leaf out in the spring.
When winter temperatures change or swing dramatically between warm and cold, your spring gardens potential may quietly suffer. These temperature changes can harm both flower and leaf buds, potentially reducing or eliminating next season’s beautiful display. This quick “bud check” can help you assess winter damage and plan for spring.
Damage can be assessed by collecting several buds from your plants and carefully slicing them open lengthwise to see inside the tissue. Healthy buds will display a freah, green tissue throughout the bud. If you do not see green and see brown or black areas inside the buds, this potentially means they have been damaged while completely dark or dried out buds have died. This quick “bud check” can help you assess winter damage and plan for spring.
If you do find damaged buds, do not panic, many plants have back up buds that can still produce blooms. Many Plants are more resilient than they appear after cold damage. Patience is key in assessing and treating cold injury. While immediate damage may look severe, many ornamentals can be recovered with proper care and time. For specific advice about cold-damaged plants in your landscape contact your local extension office or County Agent information.
