Over the next few weeks, we will be addressing the freeze damage to plants which everyone has suffered. We are working on a video giving easy to follow instructions about what to prune and how.
It is not critical, and in fact, may be too early, to start most pruning immediately. If you have palm leaves hanging down, you may prune them as soon as this last freeze (hopefully) passes. Gingers, which look blowtorched, may be cut to 18″ tall this weekend if desired. Blackened, wilted herbaceous plants like Mexican petunia (Ruellia) and shrimp plant can be cut close to the ground. But woody shrubs like ixora and plumbago, small trees like citrus, and sad looking philodendrons should be left alone another week until we can more closely determine the level of damage, and therefore where to prune.
Watch for us to address these recovery issues here in the Garden News and on social media. Email us at info@gillnursery or message us on Facebook and Instagram with your related questions, so our upcoming instruction video is as complete as possible in helping you through this temporary setback.
– James Gill
Laurie says
Most of the palm leaves on our Pygmy palms are brown but are still firm and sprouting upward. We have trimmed the broken and drooping palm leaves. Should we also trim the firm brown palm leaves?
Laurie says
Never mind. Upon closer inspection, the leaves were worse than I thought.
James Gill says
Yes, I have observed the same.
Pam says
I have a mature Japanese blueberry tree, about 15 feet tall. The leaves were green, now they’ve turned yellowish and are falling off. I did the scratch test and some branches are green and others not as green. Should I wait to prune any limbs and see if there is any new leaf growth?
James Gill says
Yes, wait. Some plants looked pretty good a week after, but are cratering now. Time will tell.