Lawn & Landscape: Trees and Plants in Bloom Early.
Posted by VC Peet on Mon, Jan 30, 2012
As we slowly move into Spring, I get ever more anxious to start seeing the trees green up and the flowers bloom. I thought I still had months of waiting left, but it appears the trees have a different idea - i’ve already seen many trees with buds and flowers on my plants. I even remember seeing a cherry blossom flowering last December! It appears this phenomenon isn’t just for those in central Arkansas either as trees ranging from New York to Texas begin to get ready for Spring as mild weather takes hold. I'm certainly not complaing about the gorgeous weather we are having, but if a frost comes, these early trees may be damaged. Unfortunately, we can’t control the weather or control when these trees decide to bud, but we can help prevent the damage that might occur when the weather inevitably turns cold again.
Frost damage occurs when ice crystals form, drawing moisture from plant tissue causing dehydration. To keep your landscape looking beautiful and to prevent damage, keep plants well watered. Usually only what’s above ground will be affected by the frost and even if damage occurs, the tree may well recover. Prolonged sub-freezing temperatures or abnormally cold temperatures for your region might cause serious damage, however.
A detailed guide to caring for your plants can be found here.