Applying the proper fertilizer in late winter can help landscape rebound from harsh weather

By Paul Schnare

Brrrrrrrrrr!!!!

It still feels cold outside to me. I know the temperatures are getting warmer, but I haven't thawed out yet from last week's freeze.

If you are feeling the same way, think about all of those landscape plants around your home, business, school or park. I am sure that they would like to see temperatures climb a little so that they can shake off the cold and start growing again this spring.

When you and I get cold, we put on more clothes, go inside where it is warm, or do a lot of exercises to keep active and warm. Unfortunately, plants can't go inside, put on clothes or boots, or exercise. They have to endure the elements.

Some of your landscape plants may have branches and roots frozen past the point of recovery. There may be some damaged bark. With these thoughts in mind, I would like to suggest some things you can do to help plants make a full recovery.

Sometime in late February or early March, plan on helping those landscape plants with a fertilizer that encourages good root development. If a plant has been damaged from the cold, a healthy root system is a must for recovery. Use a fertilizer high in phosphorous, such as 11-15-11 or 9-13-7. The middle number is phosphorous, which is higher than the first number, nitrogen. These unbalanced fertilizers will encourage root development for the potentially damaged plants. Actively growing roots are essential for plant health.

As spring progresses, watch to see if the branches stay brown or turn brown. Before you assume the branches are dead, scratch the bark of the branches with your thumb. If green tissue is visible where you scratch, the branch is alive and eventually will start to grow and add new foliage. If the branches stay brown into the month of June, you may want to prune out the dead and brittle twigs at that time.

If you see no stem or twig growth or very limited growth, a decision might have to be made. You can either wait to rip them out and replant in late spring or spend some time redesigning your landscape with the idea of starting anew.

If you have crepe myrtles, do not -- I repeat, do not -- do anything to them or make a decision to do anything to them, such as pruning or ripping them out until after the Fourth of July. I have seen year after year where crepe myrtles do not start growing until early July after severe winter conditions. You should not assume they are dead before then.

Later in the spring, also fertilize with a tree and shrub food similar to 19-8-10. The additional nitrogen will encourage leaf and shoot growth, which is important to replace the damaged tissue due to the cold weather.

If our spring weather results in dry conditions, be sure to give your landscape plants a good drink of water every other week or so until normal moisture is provided by Mother Nature.

My suggestion at this time of the year is to sit back, have a cup of warm tea or coffee, and wait for Mother Nature to do her thing.

Happy gardening!