Gardening: Frozen Beyond Recognition

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When the skies are clear
and the winds grow cold—
Mother Nature springs surprises
on both the young and the old.
Her frosty kiss may seem a bit bold,
But all in due time her true gift will unfold!

Surprises may be fun, but this year, unbelievable surprises have gripped the Deep South. The weathermen said, “Freeze,” and freeze we did. Many of the beautiful tropicals, so common in our gardens, were met with sudden death. Unlike overtime in a football game, no plant wins by scoring the first touchdown—in Mother Nature’s game, when you are down, you are out! So beneath the towels and sheets, we were surprised to find many of our beloved plants frozen beyond recognition while some surprisingly survived. Clean out the dead leaves, but don’t uproot the plants just yet. There still may be life within, and there is a lot of time left to reorganize the garden.

February is a great time to look at the bare bones of winter’s garden and do a little structural design. Trim and shape the bare branches to allow for more light and space for the plant once the leaves reappear. Rose gardens love a good pruning now and will reward you in the cool spring with new disease-free leaves and lovely blossoms. Be sure to remove all the clippings and dead leaves around the bushes to make sure any fungus or pest is really gone.

One benefit of the freezes this year will be the decrease in the garden pest population. Help Mother Nature out in pest control now by checking the plants still endowed with leaves. Camellias (Queen of the Winter Garden) and sasanquas should be checked over for white fly or black fungus on the leaves. A good spray is available at your local garden center to counteract these problems. Apply now, and let the rains help filter the spray to the soil area.

What more romantic way is there to dress the kitchen table then with the beautiful surprise bloomers now appearing in the yard? Bulbs like daffodil and hyacinth make a wonderful romantic bouquet for the eyes and the nose as well. If you missed the fall planting, buy a potted bulb display now and plant when the blooms are gone. These little miracles are proof that Mother Nature knows how to put love in the air even when she blows us one frosty kiss. Happy Valentine’s Day in the Garden!