Question. Will my pachysandra fail to count after the Christmas freeze? Shall we beat him like a monkey now, let's see what will happen in the spring? This has never happened before and I am worried.
A: There are many plants that look terrible after a December winter. I have seen a lot of damage to Pachisandra, Ajuga and even Liriope.
Try not to watch it for now as it's too early to scale. Your plants are still green, so hopefully late February and early March have reduced the damage and allowed the plants to grow back. Some plants are green and may not recover, but we still have the potential for cold winter weather in February, so don't let your plants suffer more damage by pruning now.
Pachysandra foliage that has accumulated over winter indicates that it can recover if not pruned too early or too early. (Gazzetta Democratica special edition)
Question. I have the following plants looking dead after the cold weather we've had. I live west of Little Rock. Gardenia bushes, knockout roses, azaleas (Solomon Judge, Hino, Encore) and evergreen hedges. I don't know the type. It was here when I moved here 26 years ago. They all look dead. Is there anything I can do now or wait and see what happens in the spring?
A: My email is full of questions like this. Unfortunately, almost all landscapes have the same problem. Do nothing until the end of winter. I think we'll be moving a lot of plants next spring, but hopefully we'll be pessimistic and miraculously recover. Roses are cut as usual at the end of February. For azaleas and gardenias, look where new growth starts in the spring and cut back to that point. The same for the fence. Some plants may have only slightly burned leaves, while others may be dead in the ground and still sprouting from their root systems. and some may be substituted. Time will tell, but we don't want to cut it short and submit what's left of this season to tomorrow's winter weather. Hopefully that's all we got. we've already had our share of winter damage.
[RELATED: Dead or Alive? The full impact of winter damage is only seen in the spring]
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Question. We suddenly lost most of our leaves on the two walleye trees at or near our main entrance… while the other four walleyes in front and on the side remained healthy. Initially, the spots turn brown and begin to drop, and eventually all the leaves drop. Are they sick or because of last month's zero night minimum? Will it be better? The first two pictures show a dying sacred tree. The third is an image of one of four identical healthy sacred trees. In the background of the first picture, you will also notice that our neighbor's holi shows the same sign. Thank you very much. Your column is a great service to the readers of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
A: There are hundreds of species, some less hardy than others. I believe the damage you are seeing is due to frostbite. I have seen borer next to other normally evergreen shrubs that have lost many damaged leaves. Like the answer to the previous question, do nothing. I'd be surprised if the onions don't bounce back after the light goes out this spring; but for extra winter protection, leave damaged foliage or dead branches until late February or early March, then start sorting and pruning.
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Question. I noticed that my monkey grass turned brown or died after a winter freeze in late December. Should I prune now or wait until the green leaves appear, hopefully next month? Can you give hope to azaleas affected by bad weather? Thanks as always for your wise advice.
A: Although liriope or monkey grass is usually evergreen, it often looks a bit scraggly after the growing season. To refresh the plants, I recommend cutting them back an inch or two from the soil line in late February or early March. This will remove old, damaged leaves and make the plant more vigorous. When you're ready to cut them, remove dead leaves to check for green growth. No need to cut new shoots. I'd be surprised if Liriope actually died of the cold, but this is very unusual weather for us, as evidenced by the amount of damage we've done. When it comes to azaleas, some are more susceptible to damage than others, and varieties vary in cold hardiness. Wait until spring to see where new growth is starting before pruning. I doubt we'll have many flowers (if any), but we can always hope.
Janet Carson, retired from the University of Arkansas Cooperative Services after 38 years, is one of Arkansas' leading gardeners. His blog is at arkansasonline.com/planitjanet . Send them to PO Box 2221, Little Rock, AR 72203 or email them at jcarson@arkansasonline.com.
