First Day of Spring!

We might still have a few cold days, but warm, sunny weather is on the horizon! Unfortunately, the start of spring doesn't just mean we will have more favorable conditions for outdoor living.  The new season will also potentially reveal winter injury. The frigid winter weather may have left your landscape in its wake.

Greg Wagner, our vice-President, recently took these pictures of a Wax Myrtle.

If you think some of your plant material may have damage, an easy test is to scratch off a small area of bark. If it's green underneath, it will most likely survive.  If not, the damage may be permanent.  You can prune dead areas if the entire plant isn't damaged.  If you're not familiar with proper pruning protocol, we recommend hiring a skilled landscaper for the task.Centipede and St. Augustine are the most vulnerable turf types as their roots are shallow.  Common Bermuda will be more likely to suffer as well.  Any turf type can be affected, but these three have the highest risk.  In the coming weeks, warm season turf will begin to progress out of a dormant state, allowing us to gauge the level of injury, if any at all.The following pictures are examples from 2010.

Water sat too long and froze on the turf.  The same could happen with snow.

Edging exposed the roots along the curb allowing them to freeze.

Enjoy the beautiful weather that is expected for this weekend!  Hopefully the cold is behind us and our plant material won't have to withstand another hard freeze.