Freeze Damage Clean-Up and Pruning Tips & Tricks
When To Remove & Clean-Up Freeze Damage
While the brown leaves and plants may not be visually appealing, it is recommended to hold off on pruning them until early spring when new growth starts to emerge. This is particularly crucial for tender tropicals like Philodendron, Ginger, and Hibiscus. Waiting allows the dead foliage to act as insulation for the plant’s vulnerable growing points, protecting against potential late-season freezes. On the other hand, plants such as Iris, Flax, Liriope or other grasses can be trimmed now without harm. Some plants that only have tip-burn (brown tips), may be trimmed in early March to remove the damaged portion and allow for branching and regrowth.
Once you start to see new growth as we near March and our chance of a hard freeze has passed; remove damaged plant material and prune back plants to rejuvenate growth. Removing all brown, wilted, soft and brittle plant material will help prevent the development of fungal issues.
Cold damaged plant’s wood and stems will be brown or black beneath the bark. To check whether a plant still has life in it to rejuvenate in the spring (particularly woody plants), carefully scrape back the bark with a knife or your fingernail to check for green tissue. If green tissue is present, the plant is still alive! If brown or black is visible, either the plant or that particular branch is dead and needs to be pruned back. Be sure to check the base of plants as well. If there’s brown at the top but green tissue nearer to the base, trim the plant back to the green growth point. Generally, Hibiscus and Cordylines will come back from their root system, so you would cut them back a few inches from the ground if no green stems are found at the top of the plant.
Quick Trimming Tips for Common Landscaping Plants
Citrus:
For citrus trees, look for green growth, cut off any dead or brittle branches, and trim back to where there’s green stems. If your citrus is grafted, check the trunk above the graft for signs of life. If there’s no green there, it’s best to remove the tree, as the part below the graft usually produces unwanted, thorny citrus. Also, remove any shoots below the graft to help the desired fruit-bearing part of the tree thrive.
Palm Trees:
For cold-hardy palms, only remove brown, old leaves. To check if cold-sensitive palms have survived, inspect the center meristem for soft or brown growth. Gently tug on the center; if it comes out easily, the palm heart is likely dead, and the palm may need removal. However, some palms like Pindos and Sylvesters might still have a chance. Alternatively, if you prefer to wait until warmer weather to see if the palm will recover, you can apply a copper-based fungicide or Chlorothalonil (Daconil) fungicide directly to the center of the palm (if you can reasonably reach it) to help it fight fungal infections and promote new healthy growth. Keep in mind that palm recovery may take six months or more, and they won’t look great until new leaves fully emerge. Remove all dead and decaying fronds to prevent further fungal infections.
Spring Bloomers:
Plants that produce flowers on current season growth, such as Abelia, Crape Myrtles, and Roses should be pruned while dormant. Now is the perfect time to do those structural and rejuvenation pruning to encourage branching and healthy growth during spring.
Crape Myrtles should not be “topped” or cut back hard, as is a common practice. This will produce weak and narrow branching as well as open the plant up for infection. Crape Myrtles should be trimmed appropriately by cutting smaller branches to encourage proper branching and good structure.
February is the best time to prune Roses in our area of the Emerald Coast, as they are still dormant and the buds have not set just yet. Roses can be tipped pruned or cut back significantly to control height or encourage rejuvenation of older specimens.
Grasses:
Grasses that have turned brown during the winter should be pruned in late February, 10 -12″ above the ground and any brown should be removed. Grasses such as Lomandra that are evergreen, generally do not need to be pruned, but if they are struggling or have turned brown, they can be trimmed during this time.
Azaleas:
Prune spring-blooming azaleas once their blooms have started to fade, rather than beforehand. Encore azaleas can be tip-pruned at any time of the year without affecting blooming. During spring, trim any long-reaching branches to aid in rounding and reshaping the shrub.
Hydrangeas:
Mophead varieties like Nikko Blue and Penny Mac should be pruned in late summer or early fall, after the blooming season, since they bloom on old wood that has hardened off during the winter months. Pruning them in spring may trigger excess new growth, disrupting their blooming cycle.
For Panicle Hydrangeas such as Limelight and Oakleaf, pruning is best done while they are dormant in late winter or early spring, before the onset of the spring growth.
Endless Summer hydrangeas bloom on both old and new wood, allowing for pruning in both spring and fall. However, if you notice buds, ensure to trim just above them to avoid disturbing potential blooms.
Throughout the season, hydrangeas can be deadheaded to remove spent flowers, but it’s important to make cuts just under the bloom above the next set of leaves (node).
Camellias:
Sasanqua varieties bloom in the fall and should be pruned during late winter or early spring.
Japonica varieties bloom in the spring and should be pruned in late spring or early summer, after the flowers have faded.
If your camellia has become too large or you feel you need to reshape it, trimming should be done in early spring while still in dormancy. Just note, that this may effect the bloom cycle and you may miss blooms for the season.
Don't Forget to Fertilize For Spring!
Spring’s warmer weather will be here before we know it, and now is the time to fertilize your plants accordingly to ensure they have plenty of nutrients for their spring flush.