Freeze damage?

17 years ago

I planted some hollies and other things a few months ago (back in December). Nellie R Stevens hollies and Blazer Foster Hollies.

Because of the warm weather, we had some very nice new growth on these small plants. BUT because of the recent, record breaking cold weather, that new growth is wilted and some of it is brownish or blackened. I covered them, but I guess the cold was too strong.

Darn, I was hoping to get a leg up on a nice growing season with these new plants.

So do freeze backs actually stunt future growth as the plant tries to recuperate from the damage done? Is there anything I can do to help them along? (perhaps cutting the damaged bits off of the plants?)

Thanks

Kelton

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Comments (9)

Jan_Hobbs
17 years ago
We lost our barlett pears, a holly bush, 2 boxwood bushes, a hydrangea and 2 wygelia, hostas are wilted, but not black. Haven't been out to look at the lilacs, the pussywillow tree or the spirea. It didn't seem to bother the forsythias.
lh_midtn
17 years ago
I think your hollies will be fine, just a minor(hopefully!) setback. I'm not sure if it's better to snip the damaged tips or not. I'd wait until they're dried/brown.

The only thing that's still alive and well around my house are the dandelions and poison ivy. Well, that's probably not fair. The Lenten Roses still look great!
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behaviorkelton
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks,

What a stinker: record breaking heat almost immediately followed by record breaking cold.
vivian_gardener
17 years ago
My daylilies and hostas look dead. Will they come back to life this year? Will they be ok next year if they don't come back? I just planted my daylilies last fall and I was looking forward to seeing the blooms.
brandon7 TN_zone7
17 years ago
Vivian, your daylilies and hostas will almost certainly come back without too much problem (unless they were newly planted and really got an extra jolt). But, if they don't come back to life this year, they are goners.

I had tropicals on my deck during the freeze because I was out of town. I thought they were surely not going to live, but I noticed today that they are starting to leaf out. I think they were set back some, but will be fine in the long run. I am really happy to see new green!
sharon_2007_gardener
17 years ago
I had a freeze on my 5 ft. wisteria which had beautiful
lavendar blooms and then the frost hit and it is brown now do I TRIM off the dead stuff or cut the plant down to the ground and hope it comes back or leave it alone? thanks sharon_2007_gardener
brandon7 TN_zone7
17 years ago
Leave it alone for a few weeks. The plant will decide what areas are damaged too badly to regrow, and you'll be better able to distinguish between the parts that are alive and the parts that are dead. Then you can remove the dead parts for better visual appeal.
tennesseestorm
17 years ago
We had damage to most everything... even the Weeping willows, which were full, but everything is making a comback... some of the trees that were not out at that horrible freeze are coming out now in stride... some trees are nearly full.
vivian_gardener
17 years ago
My daylilies and hostas are coming back to life but the crepe myrtles still don't look very good.