We have been getting a lot of calls from people concerned about their shrubs and trees not looking right for this time of year… essentially thinking they might be dead. Here’s our advice if you find yourself in a similar situation.

Driving around town you might notice shrubs etc. looking a little more brown that what you’re used to. At first you might think your plant has contracted some deadly disease unbeknownst to you and just given it up. While it’s possible that this is the case, there’s no real need to take drastic action yet. Your shrub just might have been damaged by that early freeze that was followed a few weeks later with below normal temperatures.

In a previous article we talked about how the early freeze we experienced in mid-October was causing many of the leaves on our deciduous trees to continue to cling to their branches. This condition is called marcescence. Shortly after that article we had some heavy rains that knocked a lot of them down, but it was a unique situation. In all likelihood, that early freeze also affected many of our shrubs.

Typically, our shrubs are able to gracefully slide into winter. As the temperatures decrease gradually, each plant adapts and prepares for its long winter’s rest so to speak. However, an early freeze can disrupt this process ultimately doing damage to the leaves of these unprepared plants. Then, right before Christmas we had a cold snap, getting down to around 15 degrees. These two events could have combined to be causing many of our shrubs to look less that their best. When all this combines with our drought conditions, it’s easy to see how some of our shrubs and trees might not be looking their best.

But rather than just assume the worst, wait until spring to see if they begin to leaf out again. If new growth seems to be coming from the bottom of the plant and not the tops, it’s possible the tops were indeed damaged and will need to be pruned out. But there’s no advantage to doing that now rather than waiting. If you don’t see any new growth on the plant in question by July, that’s a pretty good sign you’re going to need to replace that shrub.

So, what can you do between now and then? Start by watering your shrubs on days that are weather appropriate. Plan of giving your shrubs supplemental water with a good soaking at least once a month.

In the spring, give them a dose of your favorite fertilizer just to make sure they have everything they need. If after all of that, your shrubs are not snapping out of it, it’s time to go to the nursery to go shopping. Good luck.

You can get answers to all your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Help Line at 918-746-3701, dropping by our Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th Street, or by emailing us at mg@tulsamastergardeners.org. Photo: Tom Ingram