Well that was rough...
Here's a pretty, cheerful Mexican Flame vine to warm you up after last week's snowpocalypse!
We know many of you are wondering, "is my plant dead?". With temperatures as low and long lasting as we had this February, the answer is-time will tell. Have patience!
Some things may seem pretty bad now, but give them 4-6 weeks or so to push off burnt leaves and start putting on new buds.
Trees and Shrubs
Shade trees like Monterrey Oaks should be okay. They were getting ready to drop leaves for spring growth anyway. Many shrubs like Xylosma will probably make it too.
Palms and Citrus
Sagos and other palms? It might be a while. Wait a bit before pruning them, maybe in a few weeks. If the trunk is not mushy, you may see new fronds forming after a trim. Citrus may have some burnt leaves and branches, but all is not lost! Give them until mid April or so to put any new growth on.
Roses
Your roses needed a good haircut anyway. Get rid of any branches that are dead, dinky, damaged or diseased. Also look for any branches that may start rubbing together and trim those back. Open up the center of the plant a little too for nice growth this spring.
Perennials
It's time to chop back your perennials. Tender ones may not come back, but give Lantana, salvias and Esperanza some time.
The Scratch Test
An easy way to tell if your plant is dead or just sleeping is the scratch test. Take a small knife or your finger nail and scrape the skin of the branches. If it's green inside, HOORAY! it's still alive.
If it's brown, white, dry and brittle inside, well... that's not a good sign. But make sure to check all the way down near the base of the plant too. Also remember that some plants will die all the way down to the root ball and may try to come back from there!
Is it Over Yet?
Are all the freezes over this year? The last average freeze date for our area is around March 13th. Maybe don't put the freeze cloth away just yet. The good news is that spring is on the way and the likelihood of another snowstorm in San Antonio is pretty low for awhile.
Get ready to bust out the fertilizer in mid March! We hope you didn't lose too many of your babies, or any for that matter. Just remember that even the best gardeners lose plants sometimes. Ahh the joys of crazy Texas weather!