Recovering from the cold weather

I want to start with a note for viewers from the "cold " climates that I realize our cold weather would be a mild spring day for some people.

The past few winters here have been mild and lots of people lost plants that they were used to surviving in good shape.

To tell if those plants that look frosted are dead or alive you need to check them out. Soft plants like bananas, Bbrd of paradise and palms can often be checked to see if the stem is soft and mushy or hard and crisp. Don't cut back yet if there is a hard crispy core. Wait until new growth starts.

Woody plants can be checked out with a knife. Cut into the bark and look for moist green wood under the bark. If it is soft and brown keep cutting until you reach the ground or the ground. If you hit the ground before you see green check a few roots to see if they are green. If it's brown and mushy to the ground and the roots are soft and mushy it's a lost cause.

If it's still green probably the plant will come back.

Wait until you see the new growth coming and prune back to strong new growth. Make sure the plants are moist but resist trying to turn the frosted leaves green by watering. It doesn't work.

Some plants are worth replacing when they freeze because of the color they give during the season. If you enjoy them plant them back and enjoy them while you can. Remember, many of these are planned to be annuals in the real cold climates.