February freeze showed the value of floating row cover

We now know that it was very important to cover plants before freezing last February, but we learned one more important detail. The translucent, lightweight white fabric known as a floating row cover or frost blanket is far better than any solid or opaque tarpaulin, blanket, bed sheet, or commercial cover for protecting against the cold.

These heavier materials block sunlight and don’t breathe. So if left on after the temperature rises, they can stress and even damage the plants. Also, like the green ones typically sold in garden centers, the solid covers didn’t protect nearly as well from freezing.

I only tried the green covers because all the garden centers sold out the white floating row covers. My advice is to stock up on the goodies now while they are available instead of waiting.

To summarize the frost damage, Texas lost large amounts of pittosporum, loropetalum, ligustrum, medlar, Chinese tallow, and Arizona ash. Even if many of you have already transplanted some of these plants, I advise against it. We may not see a winter as severe as last February anytime soon – but it is possible.

It is now time to make decisions about some of the damaged plants. Most shrubs that are completely brown will not return from the dead so they can be removed. Anyone with green suction cups at the base is doubtful, but if you haven’t already, trim away the dead tip growth and apply organic fertilizer if you want to try. They might grow back and look decent, but planting new plants might be best. Lacebark elms and others where the trunk bark has been completely separated from the tree should be removed, even if green foliage is still present.

Dead tops of fig trees should be removed and the basal sprouts allowed to grow back.(Howard Garrett / special article)

Dead branches on the upper growth of red oaks should be carefully removed, but there is no great rush. Good arborists are busy and work can wait. The same goes for the dead branches that are common in the canopy of living oaks. For some trees that have been killed to the ground, such as figs, laurel, crepe myrtle and others, the dead tips should be removed so that the plants can grow back from the basal shoots. Remove most of the shoots so only the two or three strongest can grow, but don’t remove them all at once. Remove a few every week so those left behind aren’t shocked.

Keep an eye on the trees that are lighter than normal in color. Now that the weather is hot, some of these trees can go downhill quickly and even die. The best proactive work to help any damaged trees is treating sick trees.

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