I grew up in the Midwest, but I still think snow is prettier to look at than to roll around in. The Lowcountry recently got a rare taste of the cold stuff — and even rarer, it stuck around for longer than a day. A few snowmen stood around for almost a week.
The question is, how did our gardens fare? For some plants, the answer is immediate and obvious. For others, it’s a waiting game. There’s nothing you need to do right now about last week’s snow.
Our best protection against the cold happens in the fall. Healthy plants tolerate winter extremes better than struggling ones. Poor soil, lack of mulch and poor drainage are recipes for failure.
As gardeners, our job is to help plants prepare for winter. At the very least, we should avoid interrupting their natural process of slowing growth and storing carbohydrates to create their own antifreeze. Let’s say you read my column back in September about preparing for winter — and let’s say you did it all.
What now? Avoid pruning. Wait until we’re past the frost-free date in mid-March to prune. Some plants might look pretty sad right now, but come March, they could be as happy as a titmouse.
Herbaceous perennials, such as lantana, benefit from leaving dead foliage from the previous season intact until spring. If you don’t like the messy look, removing it won’t kill them, but they’re more likely to recover if it’s left alone. Once March arrives, grab the pruners and remove anything black or brown.
Avoid nitrogen. .