How to Save Damaged Plants From Cold in Florida
- 1). Water the plants immediately after the cold snap using a garden hose. Plants that have fallen victim to a freeze often lose water through their leaves. If the ground is frozen, the plant may not be able to recover from the water loss. A deep watering to a depth of 1 inch will help to thaw the soil and rehydrate the plants.
- 2). Check the extent of the frost damage prior to putting a care plan in action. You cannot save a dead plant but one that has some life in it may still have a chance. Lightly scrape the bark of your Florida plants using a sharp knife. If you see green tissue below the bark, the plants are still alive.
- 3). Wait for new growth to appear. This can take up to six weeks after the weather warms up, so be patient. Once you see new growth, remove the frost-damaged wood using a pruning tool. Prune the damaged wood just above the new growth.
- 4). Pluck off dead fruit from the plants if it has not already fallen. Fruit bearers can still recover, but frost-damaged fruit can rot and cause further damage to the already stressed plants by spreading bacterial and fungal diseases.
- 5). Remove dead or frost-damaged fronds from Florida palms. Use a pruning tool to remove any discolored fronds, leaving behind those that are still green. Spray the palms with a copper fungicide, paying close attention to the open wounds created by the pruning. Give the Florida palms a second dose of copper fungicide 10 days later. Follow the label instructions on the fungicide for application instructions.