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
Lisa Wright says
Thanks, James, John, and I will be following your suggestions!
Debi says
I am sick about my palms and bougainvillea. Please give me tips on trying to save them.
James Gill says
Nothing you can do to “save” them. You will just remove dead leaves from the palm and give it time, if the heart is frozen it will not produce new leaves. The bougainvillea will come back from the roots if it is planted in the ground. Tomorrow, scratch the bark and look for rich green. That is where it is still alive, but it might be all the way down to the ground. Check and see. My mom cut them to the ground several times back in the 50s and 60s and they always came back.