The winter has been harsh to us here in Georgia this year. With two snow storms and many nights well below freezing, we’ve had to deal with canceled school days, hours stuck in traffic, and damage to homes and cars. Your landscape is also taking a heavy beating this winter. Many people want to know if their plants are dead or damaged, and whether or not they should go ahead and removed their damaged areas. Whispering Springs Nursery in Jasper, GA has got some advice on how to deal with your cold damaged plants.
Are They Alive?
It’s easy to tell if a plant is alive or dead. Simply try to bend one of its branches and if it bends easily – it’s alive – if it snaps easily – it’s probably dead. You can also scratch of a small area of the outer skin of the plant. If you can see a thin film of green underneath, your plant is thriving despite the weather.
To Prune or Not to Prune
Don’t prune just yet. Hopefully, your plants will shed their fried leaves and grow a full flush of greenery in the spring. Or, your plant might suffer either partial or full dieback. There’s no way to really know until the plant starts growing again this spring at which point you should prune away all of the damages areas.
Don’t worry too much – even if you have to prune your favorite bushes to the ground, if they were large plants they will have large root systems and they will grow back quickly. If you need help or advice on how to revive your landscape after the winter storms, just give us a call here at Whispering Springs Nursery in Jasper, GA!
