If you live in Southern AZ, you are very aware that we have had some very cold nights that were well below freezing. Many of your plants have been damaged by the cold so, it is good to know how to deal with plants in cold weather or when cold snaps are suspected.

Protect Plants from Cold Weather

Of course, the ideal step is to protect plants from getting damaged from cold weather at the onset. Freeze damage occurs when the water held within the cells of plant tissue freezes causing damage to cell walls and dehydration. Such damage can be prevented on many plants by taking a few precautionary measures.

Tender plants, shrubs and small trees can be covered with a frost blanket or burlap sacks. These provide a barrier that absorbs the frost and keeps it from damaging the covered plants. However, such protection should be removed when the sun is shining as this is dangerous for plants as well. Any potted plants should be taken into a sheltered area such as indoors or a fully covered garage.

Saving Cold Damaged Plants

If a cold snap does catch you by surprise and plants are damaged from frost or freezing weather, there are some things you can do to save them.

If potted plants are left outside and receive cold damage, you can take them inside, allow them to heat up, and prune damaged leaves or branches. However, if the plants are based in the ground outside, do not prune any damage right away. Wait until warm weather returns and new growth begins before attempting to prune such damaged plants. Damaged foliage and/or branches provide protection to living tissue in the case that more cold weather hits. Some of the common plants that fall in this category are Lantana, Bougainvillea, Mexican Red Bird of Paradise, Dwarf Oleander, Yellow Bells and Salvia.

Pruning Guidelines

When the weather has warmed sufficiently and new growth begins to appear, you can successfully prune away any damage. A general rule is to wait until April 1st to cut back damaged foliage. I like to start pruning the damages foliage back until you hit green wood. In some cases this is all the way to the ground.

If you are pruning cacti, care should be taken due to their harsh reaction to wrongful pruning and ease at acquiring infections. When pruning a cactus, only prune areas which have been damaged by frost. Pruning should be at joints and powdered sulfur should be applied to cut areas so that they dry out rapidly and don’t contract infections. Give your plants until the end of April to show signs of recovery. If you see no signs by April 30th they may need to be replaced.

There are a couple of very good reasons to trim your trees. First of all, trimming trees encourages them to grow strong and healthy. If you have large trees on your property or are growing saplings that will one day be large trees, you want them to be strong and healthy in order to withstand harsh weather and not come crashing down, especially if they are located around your house or other structures.

Secondly, proper tree trimming adds aesthetic beauty to your property. Instead of having very tall and scraggly trees that are not so appealing, you create a fuller tree with great structure that are lovely to gaze at. An added benefit to full, structured trees is that they can withstand a great deal of wind and provide a lot of shade.

When to Trim

The rule of thumb for most trees is that they should be pruned from late Fall through March 1st for major pruning. Minor pruning can be done year round.

It is advisable to do some arbor research before pulling out the pruners. You can glean tree-specific information from online, through books or the library, or by consulting a professional arborist.

Major Tree Trimming

In some cases, tree growth has gotten out of hand and needs major trimming. Major tree trimming requires a bit different approach than normal trimming.

The first step is to remove all scraggly, weak, and dead branches, cutting them flush with large branches or the trunk.

You want to reduce the size of the full canopy by approximately a third, but you should begin by cutting growth on the outer portions of larger branches and work your way in to the target point. Cutting smaller portions makes removal easier as well as relieving tension gradually which is much safer.

Try to keep overall trimming as symmetrical as possible for the best results in appearance. Any branches you want to remove totally should be cut flush with the larger branch being left. Avoid cutting a branch at mid point. Always try to find a joint to make the cut.

A long deep watering after pruning is always good. Consider fertilizing the tree around April 15th.

It’s time to start thinking about your spring landscaping projects. Whether it is a simple added patio or water feature or complete new landscape or renovation of your yard, planning ahead will make your project go smoother. Start with writing down your ideas, clip articles in magazines, and take photos of yards you like. Photograph your yard from different angles, making sure to get reference points in the photo so you can easily recognize different areas of the yard. Go to our website, santaritalandscaping.com and look at our photo gallery for ideas. Print out ideas you like. If you are unsure of what you want to do, you can go to our website and take our Design Survey to help you get started.

The process from idea to final plan and proposal can take 3-5 weeks depending on the design you are interested in.  Once you have your ideas together, give us a call and set an appointment to come into our Design Center. We have a great room with lots of material samples and hundreds of photos to help you find just what you are looking for. We spend about an hour and half discussing what you like and what you want to use in your yard. We also talk about budget to make sure your project does not get over or under designed.

After the interview we will generally draw up a detailed landscape plan and proposal. Then set another appointment to go over your plans in detail and get your project rolling.

Now’s the time to start thinking about the health of your citrus trees, more specifically fertilization to give them the nutrients they need to stay healthy. Citrus fertilizer should contain nitrogen, micronutrients of iron, zinc, and manganese. You will want to fertilize your trees 3 times a year and a good way to remember when to fertilize is by holidays: Valentine’s Day (February), Memorial Day (May) and Labor Day (September). Always remember though that timing is critical, you do not want to fertilize your citrus tree while it is blooming. This could burn the blooms and cause less fruit to set.  Follow directions closely on the bag of fertilizer and water the trees well after application.

Winter pruning of your Rose Bushes helps to ensure a healthy plant and more blooms in the spring. Mid-January to early February is a great time to prune your dormant roses. This helps to remove dead or diseased portions of the plant, stimulates new growth and can enhance the form and shape of the plant. Pruning Rose Bushes properly can sometimes be difficult. Here are some great websites to help you in your pruning endeavors.

Houzz

https://www.rosesocietyoftucson.org/wtd-february