Wow, it got cold this past winter! As a gal that grew up in these parts, I can tell you that I was super excited about our freak snowstorm. In my family, we did what any of our fellow Floridians would do, we broke out the surfboards and we 'snowsurfed,' followed by some fireside sipping of Irish cream laced hot cocoa, as we regaled tales of snowmen that came before.
As a gardener, I was concerned about my plants, some of which did not make it.
We live in an interesting climate. Our summers get incredibly hot and our winters tend to be pretty mild, but every once in a while mother nature throws us a curveball. As anyone reading this will know, what we saw this winter was historical and record breaking. We're in somewhat uncharted waters and it's going to be a wait and see game with a lot of our beloved palms.
The good news is that most palm varieties are relatively cold hardy for short periods of time. What affects palms the most is sudden drops in temperatures-- that lovely, unpredictable weather that Florida is famously known for. When we have temperatures that peak at 75°F in the day and then plummet to 25°F overnight, it tends to impact our tropicals the most. It's those drastic, fast drops in temperature that can create tissue damage.
The best advice we can give you is to practice patience. I know it's tempting to run out and tidy those frostbitten fronds, but that is not what you want to do... just yet. Spring is just around the corner, yet unfortunately we're not completely out of the woods from the occasional frosty morning.
The snow damaged fronds are still providing critical insulation for the bud of your palm and, believe it or not, some nutrients as well. So resist the urge to grab the lopers and rest confidently, waiting it out is the best thing you can do for your tropical friend.
Once the threat of frost has passed is the time to show your palm some love. You can go ahead and remove the damaged fronds and drench the bud in a good copper fungicide. This step is critical, but it's not a guarantee that your palm will recover. The copper fungicide will work to protect the bud from bacteria and fungus that is ever-present in humid environments. We sell a great copper fungicide made by Fertilome and you can check it out here.
I know folks will be anxious to get fertilizer on their palms this spring, but this year we have been instructed by our local extension office to delay fertilizing until new fronds appear. Once you see evidence of new growth you can use a product like our Palm Fertilizer. Another bonus, a properly fertilized palm goes into the winter months stronger than non-fertilized palms. A well-cared for palm is better equipped to handle our unpredictable weather.
One more thing to keep in mind is that you cannot always 'see' internally what is going on with a plant for months, or even years, after an event like this. Tissue damage may be present, and that can affect the palm's ability to take up water correctly. You may see malformed fronds months down the line. Some of these symptoms may appear well after the cold event (like crown collapse, and if you see evidence of that, then there's nothing that can be done to save the tree). It is truly a wait and see game, but practicing patience now and knowing what to do later will give your palm the best chance at recovery.
It's unfortunate when bad things happen to good plants, but that's nature for you. It's ever-changing and beautiful, but it can also be unpredictable and harsh. We've got some lovely sunny days ahead and our fingers are crossed that our cherished palms here on the Gulf Coast will recover.
We are happy to help with tips and advice, and we've got the products you need to properly care for your palm after an event like this. We always tell folks the best source of trusted information comes from our local extension office. If you have specific questions that were not covered by this blog post, there's an agent from the extension office that can answer your questions personally. These folks are educated and have a wealth of knowledge.
Their advice is always complimentary and an extension agent is available at the Navarre Library every 1st, 3rd and 4th Wednesday of the month from 9:00am-1:00pm. I'd also like to take this opportunity to link to their articles on getting your palm on the road to recovery after a major freeze. You can check out what they have to say on the subject at this link and here's another article as well.
In the unfortunate event that you lose your palm, we would like to remind folks that we do not offer extraction services. There's some great local contractors that are able to assist with those. And if you find yourself wanting to redesign an area, please give our friends over at Prestige Landscapes a call. Their on staff designer is top notch and would love to help you plan out any spaces that need a spring refresh.
Prestige Landscapes can be reached at: 850-393-1168