Q. Are there
are any plants I need to prune or trim down before the frost comes to the Las
Vegas valley this year? I noticed that
oleander suffers greatly from frost, foxglove, asparagus ferns, potato vine and
a purple flower trumpet flowered plant are kissed when the frost comes. Should
these be covered also?
are any plants I need to prune or trim down before the frost comes to the Las
Vegas valley this year? I noticed that
oleander suffers greatly from frost, foxglove, asparagus ferns, potato vine and
a purple flower trumpet flowered plant are kissed when the frost comes. Should
these be covered also?
A. Damage
from frost will be variable in different places throughout the Valley. There
are places which are naturally cold spots and others in windy locations. These areas
will be hit the hardest.
from frost will be variable in different places throughout the Valley. There
are places which are naturally cold spots and others in windy locations. These areas
will be hit the hardest.
Then we have the variability of the
weather. It was not too long ago that we had unusually
weather. It was not too long ago that we had unusually
.JPG) |
| Difference in cold damage between two different types of Oleander |
warm winters where it
hardly froze at all. Then we had a terribly brutal winter with the coldest temperatures
hitting us in February when plants were just waking up from dormancy.
Then we have variability in the
plants themselves. As far as oleanders go, there are winter tender types and
there are very cold tolerant types.
plants themselves. As far as oleanders go, there are winter tender types and
there are very cold tolerant types.
My basic advice is to leave most
ornamental plants alone. Wait until the coldest part of the winter has passed,
or you begin to see the beginnings of new growth, and then remove what has been
damaged. Oleander and asparagus fern can be pruned to within a few inches of
the ground and they will recover.
ornamental plants alone. Wait until the coldest part of the winter has passed,
or you begin to see the beginnings of new growth, and then remove what has been
damaged. Oleander and asparagus fern can be pruned to within a few inches of
the ground and they will recover.
.JPG) |
| Oleander will recover by summer if it is pruned to within a few inches of the ground. in late winter |
This doesn’t hold true with citrus.
Citrus planted in cold locations will have to be protected if you want it to
survive or you want fruit.
Citrus planted in cold locations will have to be protected if you want it to
survive or you want fruit.