ORLANDO, Fla. — Cold snaps across Central Florida have left many yards looking brown and dry, tempting homeowners to start trimming and tossing plants.
But experts warn that rushing cleanup could do more harm than good.
What You Need To Know
Cold snaps have left many Central Florida plants looking brown and damaged
Experts say appearances can be misleading after freeze events
Trimming too soon could expose new growth to additional cold damage
Waiting until spring may prevent permanent plant loss
“If someone thinks something is dead, what i want you to do is come to the stem and crack it. If you don’t see green, then it’s probably dead. Trim it back until you see green,” Jacquelyn Mann with Highland Grove Landscaping said.
Mann has been in landscaping for over a decade. Since this past freeze, she’s letting people know what to do if their plants look brown and wilted.
She says being patient is key.
Another option to see if your plant is still living is to look around the base to see if there is any new growth.
Mann says plants in Florida are not used to back-to-back freezes. Cold stress often shows up first in leaves and branches, even if the plant itself is still alive.
“If you trim it right now and another freeze hits, all that new growth that is starting is now dead and now is the plant. So, the dead is actually protecting the new underneath,” Mann said.
Mann says how you prepare your plants for cold weather is important.
“As long as you have an evergreen or you have a cypress, you’re good, or holly. Anything else, I don’t care if it’s viburnum, Podocarpus or things that normally don’t freeze cover everything you can. Even things you might think need cover, cover them anyway,” Mann said.
Mann says waiting until the cold weather is fully behind us before digging up or trimming plants is best. Springtime is a good time to do so. Making quick decisions now could lead to mistakes that can’t be undone.