Cold Weather Recovery for Central Florida Yards

After the recent cold weather, many central Florida homeowners got a reminder that our plants are not immune to frost and freeze damage. January and February are typically Central Florida’s coldest months, and this year’s extended stretch of temperatures in the 20s caused significant stress to many of our landscapes.

Once the threat of freezing temperatures has passed, it’s time to shift from plant protection to recovery. Knowing when, and how, to help your plants recover is key to maintaining a healthy central Florida yard.

UNDERSTANDING FREEZE DAMAGE

Not all cold damage looks the same. The severity of damage depends on several key factors:

• HOW LOW TEMPERATURES FALL. Some plants, such as orchids, can be damaged at temperatures well above freezing. It’s important to know the hardiness zones that your plants can grow and survive in.

• HOW QUICKLY TEMPERATURES DROP. Sudden cold snaps cause more harm because plants lack time to acclimate. We certainly saw that occur!

• HOW LONG COLD CONDITIONS LAST. Extended freezes increase the likelihood of serious injury, and with prolonged nights in the 20s we are seeing damage that has not been seen in many years.

During freezing weather, ice crystals can form inside plant tissue rupturing cell walls. This often results in browning leaves, wilted stems, and/or mushy foliage. Some damage appears immediately, while other symptoms may take days to develop.

Once the danger of cold temperatures has passed and frost blankets are put away, it’s time to assess your plants and help them recover.

AFTER A COLD SNAP IT’S IMPORTANT TO WATER

One of the most important first steps after a frost/ freeze is watering. Cold weather can leave soil dry or even partially frozen, limiting water uptake.

Watering helps:

• Thaw the root zone

• Rehydrate stressed roots

• Support early recovery processes

Resist the urge to fertilize. Fertilizer encourages tender new growth that is highly vulnerable if temperatures dip again. Wait until consistent spring warmth before applying fertilizer and always follow UF/IFAS Extension recommendations.

DON’T PRUNE TOO SOON

After cold weather, many gardeners reach for their pruning shears too quickly. It’s so tempting when everything is brown! In Central Florida, hold off on doing any pruning until March.

Why do we suggest waiting until March?

Damaged leaves and stems serve an important purpose by insulating and protecting plants from late cold snaps, which can still occur in late February.

By March, new growth usually begins to appear, making it easier to see what is truly alive and will help you know where to prune on the plant.

When pruning:

• Scratch the bark lightly with your fingernail

• Green tissue indicates living growth

• Brown or black tissue is likely dead Some plants may need to be cut back to the ground if all the above-ground tissue is dead. Most plants will recover and sprout back from the ground.

If there is regrowth, you can easily see where to prune, which is back to the new growth. Damage to plants depends on a variety of factors and it’s helpful to wait and see what the plants do on their own before we pull out the pruners.

RECOGNIZING DELAYED DAMAGE

Not all cold injury is immediate. Some plants may look fine at first, then develop browning or leaf drop over the following weeks.

Plants such as bananas, papaya, wild coffee, and firebush often die back to the ground but resprout from healthy roots once temperatures rise. Annual bedding plants, seasonal vegetables, and severely damaged tropicals may not recover.

Spring-blooming plants that flower on the past season’s growth may not bloom this year if that growth was lost. Woody plants like citrus and hibiscus may show weak or uneven regrowth. Patience is the most important tool after a frost/ freeze!

COLD-DAMAGED PALMS: PATIENCE IS KEY!

Palm recovery requires patience! Palms, in general, are slow-growing and recovery from pests, disease, and other stressors is slow. Some palms take up to a year to show meaningful improvement after a hard freeze!

If your palms were damaged, keep these guidelines in mind:

1. DAMAGED FRONDS WILL NOT RECOVER. Yellowed, browned, or spotted fronds will never return to a normal green frond. New growth is only from the spear leaf at the top of the plant.

2. CHECK THE SPEAR LEAF CAREFULLY. Wait several weeks after a freeze, then gently pull on it. If it comes out easily, appears mushy, or smells foul, damage may be present. If the palm is too tall to assess, just wait. Do not prune any damaged fronds and hold out for the new growth to appear.

If you are able to pull the spear leaf out, consider applying a labeled copper fungicide which may help reduce potential fungal issues. Always follow label instructions, the label is the law, and you do not want to cause any further damage to the palm. If the spear remains firm, recovery is likely, though it may be slow.

For gardeners interested in cold-hardy palm options, visit the demonstration garden at UF/IFAS Extension in Bartow.

BE PATIENT BEFORE REMOVING PLANTS

Even when plants look dead, avoid digging them up too quickly. Many shrubs and perennials recover slowly and may not show new growth until late spring or even early summer. Different species recover at different rates, and premature removal can mean losing a plant that would have survived.

PREPARING FOR FUTURE COLD EVENTS … BRRR

Once recovery is underway, it’s wise to begin planning for the next cold season. Simple strategies can significantly reduce damage:

• Water before predicted freezes

• Apply mulch around root zones

• Use breathable fabric covers for protection and make sure they cover the plant to the ground.

Designing your landscape with cold tolerance in mind also helps. Consider your USDA hardiness zone (9b–10a for us here in Central Florida), take advantage of warmer microclimates near buildings or under trees, consider growing tender plants in containers that can be easily moved indoors, and time fertilization and pruning to avoid encouraging winter growth. Thoughtful preparation now will make your landscape more resilient next winter.

Freeze recovery is really about patience. Water wisely, delay pruning, resist fertilization, and give plants time to regrow. With careful observation and informed management, most Central Florida yards will recover. Learn from this cold event and prepare for next winter.

If you have any questions about cold recovery in Central Florida yards, contact UF/IFAS Extension Polk County at 863-519-1041 or visit us online at sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/ polk if you have questions on growing citrus. The Plant Clinic is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to answer your gardening and landscaping questions. If you are interested in purchasing a garden journal, contact the Plant Clinic. If you are not in Polk County, contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Plant Clinic. To learn more about gardening and landscaping, listen to the “Your Central Florida Yard” podcast. You can find the podcast wherever you listen or find out more on our Substack: substack. com/@yourcentralfloridayard. Anne Yasalonis is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent and Master Gardener Volunteer Program Coordinator for UF/ IFAS Extension Polk County. Please contact her at anneanne@ufl.edu.