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April 19, 2007 - The recent unexpected hard-freeze has been a weather nightmare for gardeners. It's not been too good for the trees and shrubs either. According to Greg Roach, Environmental Horticulture Instructor at North Georgia Technical College Clarkesville Campus, trees and shrubs will need extra care this year due to the extreme spring weather.

Roach says, “Everything that was all bloomed out and pretty prior to the freeze will probably be finished blooming for the year. A few things could possibly push out blooms again but it will not be a common occurrence. The blooms that are on the plants now will likely turn brown and mushy this week and fall off. Actually some have already done that."

Roach continues, "Plants that were in the bud stage but that had not yet bloomed may or may not still be pretty. It depends on several factors. A closed bud will often be able to withstand a frost. However, we experienced a hard sustained freeze. This could well have frozen the bud tissue through and through, in which case the blooms, if they even open, will not be pretty. We just have to wait and see. Again it will be doubtful that these plants will set flower buds again. So we'll just miss the show this spring. Now for those plants that bloom on new growth then those buds had not been set as of yet and we should still get to see those later in the season."

He explains, "Several trees and shrubs, especially oaks, really sustained a lot of frozen foliage damage. These leaves are killed and they will shrivel up and drop off the plant. However the plant will force out new leaves. They must in order to photosynthesize. The plants will have to use up a lot of stored energy to do this, so it may take them a little while to get foliage going again. Also, because of this setback, the plants may seem to be a little thinner and weaker this season because of the trauma they have experienced. It might be a good idea to closely watch all your plants this year to assure that they do not fall prey to pests due to their weakened state."

Greg Roach finishs on an upbeat note, "Now for the Exceptions! One of the cool things about plants and nature in general is that they don't always play by the rules. So with that said - yes, there will be some plants that seem to violate everything that I have just said. They will complete their lifecycle this year with seemingly no ill effects from the weather. We horticulturalists are actually constantly looking for that rare plant that seems better equipped by nature to do those kinds of things. When we find one we work on it a little and presto – a new cultivar is released to the public. So just keep gardening and we'll take the weather as it comes.”

Thanks to Greg Roach for answering a lot of questions. At least we know what to expect and can give our favorite plants and trees extra care this summer.