COLD DAMAGE RECOVERY

The recent winter temperatures were low enough to cause cold injury to our annual flowers and coconut and royal palms.  The following information will help produce a more favorable environment for these damaged plants and help aid in their rapid recovery.

Flowers:

Flowers damaged by the cold weather should be sheared to a point below which the damage occurred. After shearing, irrigation is essential to prevent excessive water stress and leaf desiccation.  Your irrigation clock should be turned on and set in accordance with County water restrictions.  Since weakened or injured plants are more susceptible to disease attack, a preventive fungicide program should be implemented.  Two applications of fertilizer/fungicide treatment at 14 day intervals are recommended.  Please call us at 278-9071 to receive a quote for these services.

Palms:

Day after day of cool weather imposes excessive stress on palms which makes their roots incapable of providing nutrients to their buds.  Plants are thus rendered vulnerable to disease invasion, which may cause bud collapse when warmer, spring weather arrives.  After a cold spell, even those palms which appear undamaged should be sprayed with a micronutrient/fungicide combination.  The foliar application of micronutrients can provide nourishment that cold roots cannot, while the fungicide helps fend off potentially lethal secondary infestations.  Two applications should be applied at 14 day intervals.  To give your palms maximum protection, call use today at 278-9071.

Planting Tip:Plumbagos

Plumbagos are evergreen shrubs known for their prolific light blue flowers. Althouth they are becoming one of the most widely used flowering shrubs in Palm Beach County, they are high maintenance and short lived (3-5 years).

Plumbagos do not like our hot, rainy weather and typically have yellowing leaves, loss of flowers and a weedy look toward the end of summer. They also decline from being over watered and are subject to attack by insects and diseases. Their interior canopy which is twiggy and devoid of leaves make them sensitive to pruning. It is not uncommon for mature plants to dieback and not recover after  being pruned. This is especially true when they are placed in a tier landscape design where they must be kept to a certain height and width.

It is our recommendation that their use be limited to areas where they do not have to maintained as a sheared hedge. Unless you are willing to replace these plants every few years, as existing ones decline they should be replaced with another plant species.