Nursery Notes by Mark Halcomb Release April 11, 2007

Spring Growth Murdered When Winter Snuck in Back Door Sneaky Winter Murdered Tender Spring Plant Growth Winter Murdered Tender Plant Growth

Our plants were too far advanced for this time of year and were not in a physiological state to tolerate the freezing temperatures we received. The duration of the low temperatures over three nights coupled with 20 to 25 mph winds delivered damage that we could not provide adequate protection for. No one remembers this sort of thing.

For the new spring growth to be killed is one thing. New growth will replace that in a few weeks. While more than cosmetic, healthy plants in the fields and landscape more than a year should be able to recover and grow more new foliage. Growth for the year will be reduced. Do not attempt to regain with more fertilizer. A reduced rate of fertilizer should be applied to cold damaged plants.

It is too early to determine if there will be twig dieback or how much.Dieback will vary with the plant genus, elevation, stage of growth, etc.Warmer temperatures will allow dieback to become more evident. A caramel or light brown color under the bark will indicate cold injury and the tissue will be weak or possibly die.

I fear we might see dieback continue throughout the summer on some plants.We may not have any, but busted bark on holly, crapemyrtle, boxwood, etc.should be obvious soon. Tiny seedlings and first year buds will be damaged or killed. Seed crops may be damaged on the trees, such as redbud, tulip poplar, maple and dogwood.

Make notes to yourself for the future about the low temperatures you experienced, the plants damaged or killed, what survived and protection you tried.***Dr. Hale found a living, feeding maple shoot borer today in Nashville in red maple. Better not gamble and think that we got colder, enough to kill ours. Spray Talstar Flowable, 12 fl oz/100 gal. regardless that the foliage is scattered in the development.***TDA will file an amendment to exclude sterile cultivars from their Pest Plant Rule. We listed 14 plants in March that will be illegal to sell after June 28.

Comm/News/4-11-07 cold damage

Mark A. HalcombUT Area Nursery SpecialistWarren Co. Extension201 Locust St., Suite #10McMinnville, Tenn. 37110mhalcomb@utk.edu931.473.8484 fax 931.473.8089