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crenda53

Cold Damage?

Crenda 10A SW FL
10 years ago

A week ago we had 2 consecutive nights at 43 F. I did not cover my plants. We are on water and usually run 5 degrees warmer than the official local temp. Everything looks fine except for the Sedum rubrotinctum. I have a lot of it on an island in the front yard.

Is this likely from the cold, or do I have another problem?

Comments (9)

  • Crenda 10A SW FL
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    This is a view of another section of the plants. At first I thought it was just the color fading back to green. You can see a lot of mushy looking leaves laying at the bottom in the first picture.

    We will be getting down to 40 tomorrow night. And it has been raining - not a lot, but enough to have me worried. I will be covering up the plants and have already moved pots to safety.

    Thanks in advance!

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    10 years ago

    I have/had a few pieces of this in a mini garden on front porch. It survived several frosts (under a sheet) looking just fine. Then we had a couple nights in the teens and the whole things turned to mush. Your plant doesn't look similar, though someone with more experience with these might come by and say yep, that's cold damage. So I'm curious with you, hopefully I'll get more some time. Did you have actual frost? I don't think that's possible above 40 though I've seen frost happen here as high as 38 degrees.

    Is this a kind of Sedum that can grow back from the roots if the foliage is frosted? IDK but suspect the roots of mine were also frozen.

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    10 years ago

    I think yours looks like more cold and WET.I think that wet is the bigger culprit. The combination makes things so much more susceptible to rot. 43 is not cold enough to harass it on its own. It looks like your leaves are swollen and busting and that is allowing bacterium and rot in. Mine have been outside for most of the winter but not the teens.

  • Crenda 10A SW FL
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you both. There was no frost, so I wasn't sure just how low the temp could go without starting to cause problems. These are the only plants that showed any kind of reaction - and this showed up about a week later.

    I covered last night since they couldn't decide if we'd get down to 35 or 40 last night. The dadgum rain that we had before this latest dip is what really had me concerned. And there's not much I can do about that, given where they are planted.

    I'll look for any more rotten leaves to remove and hope for the best. I do have about 20 plantlets going well if I do have to replace anything. I've only had these for a year, and winter was pretty mild.

    Sending warm thoughts to all my friends and their plants!

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    10 years ago

    You might want to spray it with 3in 1 bayer or a Draconil to address the rot issues. I have been known to cover things with big black pots during cold rains. I lost a lot this year to the wet/cold.

  • Crenda 10A SW FL
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks! I have some 3 in 1 Bayer.

  • cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
    10 years ago

    Nah, that's just some minor winter damage - no need for that chemical romance.

  • Crenda 10A SW FL
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Boy - these guys have not responded. I sprayed half and snipped and dusted the rest. Both look pretty lousy, although "maybe" there is some evidence of new leaves.

    What is odd - I have a patch of the same plants about 8 feet away and they look fine. So I'm thinking the drainage must be better on the other side, since they had the same wet and cold conditions.

  • Crenda 10A SW FL
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I found a familiar slimy in one of my pictures. These guys are so small that they blend into the pea gravel. So I've treated the area around my plants for snails. Not sure if they were there in the beginning, but they are present now. Darn - I hate snails and slugs!

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