Special to the Bulletin
Recent winter storms and hard freezes have left many Bandera lawns and landscapes showing signs of stress, but experts say homeowners should resist the urge to act too quickly when addressing cold damage.
According to turf and plant specialists, frost- and freeze-damaged lawns and plants can often recover with time and proper care, though timing is critical. Pruning or fertilizing too early can worsen damage, while delaying certain tasks too long may invite disease and slow recovery.
Karen Mitchell, an extension specialist at Purdue University, said common signs of cold damage include blackened, wilted or translucent leaves that appear shortly after a freeze. Damage is often limited to exposed or newly emerged growth.
Emily Merewitz-Holm, an associate professor at Michigan State University, explained that freezing temperatures cause ice crystals to form inside plant cells, rupturing cell walls and leading to irreversible damage in affected tissue. While damaged leaves will not recover, plants may survive if stems remain green as temperatures warm.
Experts recommend protecting tender plants, including tropicals and young perennials, by covering them overnight during cold snaps or bringing potted plants indoors. Homeowners are advised to avoid pruning damaged plants, fertilizing, overwatering or walking on frozen grass while frost risk remains. Soft, rotting tissue may be removed if decay is present.
Once the risk of frost has passed, lawn care can gradually resume. Specialists suggest waiting until soil temperatures consistently exceed 50 degrees for cool-season grasses and 60 degrees for warm-season grasses before overseeding or fertilizing. Visible green growth across most of the lawn is a sign recovery has begun.
Post-freeze maintenance may include raking or dethatching, checking for snow mold, pest damage or salt injury, and treating any remaining lawn diseases. Light watering may be needed if soil is dry, taking care to avoid wetting plant stems and leaves. Organic mulch can help protect flower beds and shrubs, and pruning of dead growth should be done with sanitized tools to prevent disease spread.
Experts also recommend continued monitoring for issues such as root rot, powdery mildew and leaf spot as plants recover from winter stress.
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