For many gardeners, their plants are like children that they rear, nurture and care for with lots of TLC. When a plant shows signs of illness or trauma, the proud “parent” wants to put things right. But these “kids” can’t tell you where they hurt!
That was the problem faced by two readers who wrote to me when they noticed problems with their holly bushes.
QUESTION: “I was wondering if you know why my mature holly bushes have dark black fungus that looks like mud on the leaves? I have landscaping with over 50 hollies and only the four that are against the house facing west have problems with the leaves.
”Also, why do I have moths in the lawn? I noticed them today while cutting the grass. Is there any way to get rid of them? I have fertilized the lawn twice this season already, the last having insect control in it.” – Laren Imperatore
ANSWER: I believe the black spots could be a result of aphids. Once you control the aphids the black should eventually wash off. Using a systemic insecticide for aphids, spray both tops and bottoms of the leaves as directed on the label. Concerning your lawn moth problem, here is a link to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville on lawn insects. It is a big document but on page 9 you will find thee information you need on sod webworms.
https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/PB1158.pdf
QUESTION: “Last year, in the spring, I planted a holly bush in my front yard which gets
lots of sun. By about September/October last year, the leaves had started to turn brown and fell off. I just bought another one and have planted it in the same place. Do you have any advice on how I can make sure this one survives?” -- K. Roy
ANSWER: Holly bushes like full sun with well drained, highly organic acid soil. Aside of that, they generally will grow fine.
When you went to purchase your new holly, it would have been a good idea for you to have taken pictures of the one that died to let the sales person work with you to find out why it died. This would have been beneficial in knowing before planting another in
the same place so you could be careful to check for those signs.
Continued plant care is important. You should follow the same path that the garden center was using in caring for the new holly. When you purchased the plant, they should have given you care information to continue with after planting. If you didn't receive any info, you should contact them on this matter.
QUESTION: “I have a hedge of 12 emerald greens on the south side of our house. They have been in the ground for about six years and have grown nicely. Our winter was colder than normal by a few degrees with a bit of snow several times and a late spring. The shrubs have been beautiful and green all winter but now all are showing some brown on one side. There is new growth on top.
“Is this a disease or anything to remedy or be concerned about? We live on Camano Island, about 90 miles north of Seattle but with better weather than Seattle due to the shelter of the Olympics to the west. We are on the northern end of a "convergence" zone which brings weather in around to mountains to Everett, WA.”
ANSWER: From what you tell me, it sounds like freeze damage. It doesn’t always show up in late winter. Sometimes it takes warmer temperatures for the plant to realize it is wounded. If the browning continues to envelope the plants, you may need to look further, for other suspects such as spider mites or too much dampness in the soil. With the plants producing new growth, it does sound like they are trying to work their problem out.
Good luck with them.
Visit GreenwoodNursery.com for a great selection of garden plants including shade trees, rose shrubs, perennial plants, ground covers, grasses, and more.
Showing posts with label freeze damage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label freeze damage. Show all posts
Monday, October 27, 2008
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Frost bitten plants need your patience
Just when we thought that spring was definitely here and settled in… Wham! Winter came back with a vengeance across many parts of the country.
A few weeks ago, many of us woke up to find frost on the lawn and our plants looking decidedly cold and miserable. Now spring is back, for real this time, and the threat of frost should be behind us until next winter.
If you were caught in this year’s cold snap, it can be hard to tell which of your plants are goners and which will live to fight another day. I have some tips and pointers that should be helpful if you are still anxious about some of your plants.
Even if you escaped the worst of the late frost this time, you might not be so lucky in the future. Keep some of these points in mind and it might help you save some plants next spring!
I received a lot of e-mails from worried readers such as this one:
QUESTION: “I was wondering if we can expect all the damage from the recent freeze to trees, shrubs and perennials to be permanent. I mean do you think some of them will survive? At this point they look like they are dying.
”The Winter Gem boxwoods, azaleas, and day lilies all have extensive damage. I thought I would trim off the damage when the weather warms a little. Would fertilizing to start new growth help to save them?
”I also had Magnolia trees, Flowering Cherry trees and Flowering Crabapple trees and Lilac, Mock Orange, and Flowering Quince Shrubs. Just about all of them look really bad. I would appreciate any suggestions.” – M. Railey
One of the horticulturist’s rules to live by: Do NOT fertilize any plant with freeze damage until it has put on at least some new growth. In fact many plant experts will tell you not to fertilize frostbitten plants until next winter. Why? Because the nitrogen in fertilizer can cause the plant to leaf out too quickly, adding even more stress to the trauma it is already trying to resist.
In most cases, trees and shrubs will begin to put on new growth within two to four weeks after frost damage. This is where Nature really needs our patience. There is a powerful temptation to start pruning as soon as we see frost damaged plants. Do not succumb to the temptation!
In fact, it is better to avoid any major pruning on frostbitten plants as they can take up to a year to return to their normal growth pattern, and pruning, like fertilizing, can add to the stress.
That doesn’t mean you cannot trim away small areas of dried up and obviously dead foliage once the threat of frost is past and new growth is beginning to come back. Just say no to any major surgery.
However, perennials such as hostas and other delicate plants may show signs of severe burn. You can go ahead and clip them back now as they will be putting on new growth. Decayed leaves and branches left on them will only attract annoying insects.
Remember to water your plants. After a frost attack has passed, many plants will need water to help them re-leaf after the first tender leaves were lost to frost.
Again, be patient. Nature can take a while to help plants recover so fight the urge to do anything too drastic.
QUESTION: “I planted several Mallow Marvel hibiscus last summer. I am a novice with these plants. Do they die each year and come back full, or have my plants died? The rest of my plants are budding except these. The limbs seem to be all dead. Please give me direction.” – Krista
ANSWER: Yes, Mallow Marvel is a perennial that will return each spring, reaching 8 to 10 feet eventually. Don’t dig them up. Be patient and they’ll be back
Check out GreenwoodNursery.com's bat houses! Lure bats to your yard to eat annoying insects.
A few weeks ago, many of us woke up to find frost on the lawn and our plants looking decidedly cold and miserable. Now spring is back, for real this time, and the threat of frost should be behind us until next winter.
If you were caught in this year’s cold snap, it can be hard to tell which of your plants are goners and which will live to fight another day. I have some tips and pointers that should be helpful if you are still anxious about some of your plants.
Even if you escaped the worst of the late frost this time, you might not be so lucky in the future. Keep some of these points in mind and it might help you save some plants next spring!
I received a lot of e-mails from worried readers such as this one:
QUESTION: “I was wondering if we can expect all the damage from the recent freeze to trees, shrubs and perennials to be permanent. I mean do you think some of them will survive? At this point they look like they are dying.
”The Winter Gem boxwoods, azaleas, and day lilies all have extensive damage. I thought I would trim off the damage when the weather warms a little. Would fertilizing to start new growth help to save them?
”I also had Magnolia trees, Flowering Cherry trees and Flowering Crabapple trees and Lilac, Mock Orange, and Flowering Quince Shrubs. Just about all of them look really bad. I would appreciate any suggestions.” – M. Railey
One of the horticulturist’s rules to live by: Do NOT fertilize any plant with freeze damage until it has put on at least some new growth. In fact many plant experts will tell you not to fertilize frostbitten plants until next winter. Why? Because the nitrogen in fertilizer can cause the plant to leaf out too quickly, adding even more stress to the trauma it is already trying to resist.
In most cases, trees and shrubs will begin to put on new growth within two to four weeks after frost damage. This is where Nature really needs our patience. There is a powerful temptation to start pruning as soon as we see frost damaged plants. Do not succumb to the temptation!
In fact, it is better to avoid any major pruning on frostbitten plants as they can take up to a year to return to their normal growth pattern, and pruning, like fertilizing, can add to the stress.
That doesn’t mean you cannot trim away small areas of dried up and obviously dead foliage once the threat of frost is past and new growth is beginning to come back. Just say no to any major surgery.
However, perennials such as hostas and other delicate plants may show signs of severe burn. You can go ahead and clip them back now as they will be putting on new growth. Decayed leaves and branches left on them will only attract annoying insects.
Remember to water your plants. After a frost attack has passed, many plants will need water to help them re-leaf after the first tender leaves were lost to frost.
Again, be patient. Nature can take a while to help plants recover so fight the urge to do anything too drastic.
QUESTION: “I planted several Mallow Marvel hibiscus last summer. I am a novice with these plants. Do they die each year and come back full, or have my plants died? The rest of my plants are budding except these. The limbs seem to be all dead. Please give me direction.” – Krista
ANSWER: Yes, Mallow Marvel is a perennial that will return each spring, reaching 8 to 10 feet eventually. Don’t dig them up. Be patient and they’ll be back
Check out GreenwoodNursery.com's bat houses! Lure bats to your yard to eat annoying insects.
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