How to Revive your Landscaping from the February Freeze

After February's "Snowpocalypse," many of us are concerned about how our landscaping will look this Spring and Summer! Here are some tips and things to look out for courtesy of Dr. Robert E. Moon, local Horticulture expert, SMU professor, and advisor to Hillwood Communities.

It could take a few years before the damage from those below-freezing temperatures becomes apparent.

Dr. Moon recommends patience above all! For some of your plants and trees, you may not see the true effects of February's storms for a few years. So, continue to keep an eye on your landscaping into this Spring and Summer, and even over the next couple of years. But here are some things you can and should do now.

Do not cut back any of your brown or dead-looking plants yet.

This one may surprise you, but Dr. Moon suggests giving the plants a chance to grow new buds before cutting them back. If you do see new growth, then cut the plants back to where the new buds are developing and wait to see if the plants continue to grow.

Just because it's brown, doesn't mean it's dead.

Plants can leaf back out on the stems, so don't give up on them so quickly even if they're brown right now. Same goes for your perennials. They can regrow from the root system even if the tops have been killed. If you don't see any regrowth by April, cut them back to the ground to see if that helps. 

Feed your plants!

Your plants could really benefit from hydration and nutrition right now. So, water them as they each require and fertilize them to encourage regrowth. 

Clean up your trees.

You'll start to notice that the brown leaves on your trees will start to fall and that's good! It's making room for new growth. If your trees did suffer from freeze damage, it will show up on the outer branches and trunks as they endure the summer heat. For now, if you notice any broken branches, remove them back to the connecting branches.

Budget for replacements.

Sadly, there will be some plants and trees that don't come back. So, we'd recommend you stash some money away to replace those items this Spring and Summer. But give them some time to come back first! Don't give up hope just yet!