The freezing temperatures we are currently experiencing have me thinking about our landscapes. Cold damage to ornamental plants can be a problem during the winter in the Georgia landscape. Regardless of where you live, preventive measures can maximize the chances that your prized landscape plants will survive the winter.
- Plant & Site Selection: Be sure you buy plants for our zone. Assess your property to determine the location of the coldest and the warmest spots.
- Plant Nutrition: Maintaining proper plant nutrition increases a plant’s tolerance to cold injury.
- Pruning: Prune plants just before the appearance of new growth in late winter or early spring.
- Canopies and Shade: Plants that grow in shaded areas are less susceptible to winter desiccation, or drying out, than those grown in full sun.
- Windbreaks: Windbreaks such as fences, buildings, evergreen plantings, and temporary structures can help protect plants from cold injury.
- Covering and Heating: Protect plants in containers either by placing them inside or by placing a protective covering over them.
- Water Needs Before a Freeze: Check the water needs of plants prior to a predicted cold snap and water if necessary.
- After a Freeze: Waiting to prune after freezes have passed will guard against removing living wood.
During the summer months, ornamental plants are actively growing and would be severely injured by even the slightest frost. During the late summer and early fall, plants must prepare themselves for winter through a process called cold acclimation. This process is initiated by the cooler temperatures and shorter daylengths that naturally occur at this time of the year. So, you might be worrying about your plants, but they have done the work to protect themselves, too.
For more in-depth details, you can read Bob Westerfield’s full publication by clicking here.
