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winter damage

Dramatic Winter Damage? What Should I Do?

January 20, 2023

The extremely cold/windy weather we experienced around Christmas has left many plants damaged. A walk around your yard probably shows a wide-range of distress from the dramatic temperature drop. The foliage may appear dead on some plants, while others seem unharmed!

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The following video segment is by Nashville Public Television Volunteer Gardener.  Nashville, TN is at the same USDA Plant Hardiness Zone as much of Western North Carolina.  This video takes a detailed look at a variety of plants that may have been damaged; what to watch for, what to do, and when to do it. Please be patient. Plants are resilient, and although we will see some losses, these are also opportunities to learn and grow as gardeners.

 

 

We would like to know more about your experience with the Christmas freeze of 2022.  We invite you to email us a short note explaining the damage to your landscape, along with a photo to   buncombemg@gmail.com. Be sure to include your general location and elevation, if you know it.

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Categories General Gardening Tags freeze damage, winter damage

A prudent gardener regards the first snow as a harbinger…

January 21, 2016

Ice_Damage…of what lies ahead. Regardless, the calendar says that by now we should have located our snow removal gear and made sure that it’s in good repair, ready for action. If you’re mechanized make sure you’ve got the right oil in the engine and a full tank of gas.

How about your supply of sand or ice melter? In an emergency you can use a pelletized fertilizer but the runoff may put more nutrients in places you don’t need them. And refresh your memory by reading the directions on the ice melter you have. Generally they are salts and may damage concrete.

Think back over winters past. What problems did you have? And what should you do differently? Was your plow or shoveling pattern really the best? Did you find yourself walking over the same territory again and again? Or did you have to pick up and carry too much? Where did you pile the snow? Was it all in one pile that turned to ice and took months to melt when spring finally arrived?

Did any of your woody plants have problems with snow or ice? Should your plan include gently brushing or shaking any particular shrubs to dislodge snow while it’s still fluffy?

Do you, should you, make special arrangements for your pets? Are you feeding wildlife? While you’re at it, where’s your own Arctic weather outfit?

But my bottom line is the recommendation that if snow is in the forecast you should plan to get up early. Get outside before breakfast and get the snow removed before people drive or walk on it, compacting it, turning it to dangerous ice and making it much more difficult to remove.

Written by Glenn Palmer, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer

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Categories Seasonal Chores Tags snow removal, winter damage, winter garden chores

Should I remove a shrub that looks dead, a victim of the winter of 2013-14 ?

June 9, 2014

For months now we’ve been saying “Don’t be in a hurry to declare any of your woody plants dead.  Nature has a way of healing many problems. Wait awhile.”

I think the time has come to modify that recommendation in some situations.

One is where the plant is showing new growth in some areas, but many branches do not. You scratch the surface with your thumbnail and no green cambium is visible. Twigs snap easily.

Step back and take a good look at that tree or shrub.  Imagine what it will look like if the “dead” wood is removed.  Will the shape of the remaining structure be acceptable?  Is there a likelihood that the “live” branches will fill in and eventually heal the negative effect on your landscape?

If the answer is a very positive “Yes!”,  I’d say go ahead and remove the bad wood. Give the new growth space to develop.   Keep your fingers crossed.

If “No”,  it may be time to remove the plant.

The other situation where I’d say “Take it out!” is when the plant never should have been put there in the first place.  It’s right next to a heat pump or an air conditioning condenser where it gets blasts of hot air year round.  Or it blocks the view as you back your car into the street.  Or it’s underneath the living room window and you’ve had to cut it back every other year.

shrub-coverage

Take it out!  Remove it and if you feel a need to replace it choose something more appropriate for that site. But choose one which will survive on the nutrients, moisture, pH and sun provided by the desired placement.

NOTE:  Landscaping around a heat pump or air conditioning condenser might be used to provide summer shade from a deciduous tree or to conceal the machinery.  In any case allow at least five feet for air circulation around the unit for air flow and service access.

Article written by Glenn Palmer, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer.

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Categories General Gardening Tags die-back, winter damage

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