Back in February, we dealt with a historic freeze for our area. We had a big snow event that came in two waves, but along with it came low temperatures that we have not seen around here in over 30 years. While it is typical for us to get a night or two in the winter that gets down to 10 degrees, our plants will survive through it. When we get to minus 5 to zero degrees, many of our plants will receive at least some damage. In the weeks following that event, many of our landscape plants were looking dead or very close to it.
Fortunately now, many of those plants are showing some new growth. Azaleas seemed to have leaves that had a burnt appearance in late February but are now showing some blossoms and new green leaves. Azaleas, for the most part, seem to be on the road to recovery. Some that have not been so lucky are gardenias and camellias. Many homeowners around Garland County are reporting brown and bare stems on these plants.
If you are still worried about some of your plants, do a simple "scratch" test. Using your fingernail or a pocket knife, scratch off a small bit of the outer layer of a stem. If you see all brown, that stem has not made it. If you see green, that stem is still alive. It is possible to see some limbs or stems that have died out and others that are still alive on the same plant. Dead limbs can be pruned out any time of the year. Make sure you cut back to the limb or trunk attachment, also called the branch collar. Many plants have green growth at the bottom and dead stems above. This is a result of the snow cover providing insulation from the bitter cold. You can cut down to where the green growth has emerged. Once completed, you might not like the appearance. You can make the decision if you want to be patient with the plant and let it grow back out or remove it and replant with something else.
April is a weird weather month. We can have days with temperatures in the 70s and 80s, and then soon after have lows in the 30s. Our warm season plants will take those warm, sunny days like a shot in the arm. You can almost watch the new growth coming on with blossoms opening up. For some of those plants, the cold snaps will hold them back a little. For some of our more tender plants, we might have to cover them on nights that get down in the 30s. Make sure that the plants are uncovered as soon as the temperatures start to rise to prevent more stress on the plants. Below are some more tidbits as we get into warmer weather:
• There is still time to prune our summer bloomers, such as crapemyrtles. They are starting to put on leaves, but they bloom on new growth. On crapemyrtles, avoid topping them out when pruning. Instead, do selective pruning by removing limbs or trunks that need to be removed back to their attachment.
• Wait until air and soil temperatures warm up before transplanting warm-season vegetables. Some of the more popular ones include tomatoes, peppers, and squash. If nighttime temperatures are going to dip into the 40s, make sure you cover them to hold in some heat.
• If you are planning on moving some houseplants outside for the spring and summer, wait until after May 1. Even then, watch for night temperatures in the 40s and be prepared to move them back inside for protection from cold. If a plant is pot-bound, moving it into a larger pot would be a good chore to complete when taking it outside.
• Verbena, petunias, and begonias are some warm-season annuals that can tolerate cooler nights. It would be fine to plant those at this time. Hold off a few more weeks before planting lantana, periwinkle, and summer impatiens.
The weather is warming up, and we are all excited to get outside and work in our landscape. For more information, contact the Garland County Extension Office at 623-6841, email Alex at [email protected], or visit our website at http://www.uada.edu. The Garland County Extension Office is located at 236 Woodbine in Hot Springs and the office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Master Gardener information
Master Gardener meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month online. The meetings are open to the public, and guests are welcome. For more information, call the Extension office at 623-6841 or email Alex Dykes at [email protected].
EHC information
Are you interested in joining an existing Extension Homemakers Club? EHC is the largest volunteer organization in the state. For information on EHC, call 623-6841 or email Alison Crane at [email protected]. Follow Alison on Facebook @garlandEGF and @Garland FCS, and EHC on Facebook @GarlandCountyEHC.
4-H information
For information about Garland County 4-H Club membership or program benefits, contact Carol Ann McAfee at the Extension office, call 501-623-6841, or email [email protected]. Additional information is available at http://www.uaex.edu/garland.