Page 20 - Waterfall City Issue 8 August 2025

Waterfall City Landscaping

The effect of
COLD WINTERS

By Emile Bolton, STM Landscaping

Why does a colder than usual winter have such a detrimental effect on

your vegetation? And how do you recover from this?

D uring winter, when cloud cover or dry air can prevent Assess damage early:

it. Wind can also influence this. If it’s
temperatures drop to near or
• Inspect plants for signs of frost
calm, frost forms more easily because
below freezing, water vapour
damage, such as discoloured, wilted,
in the air can turn into ice
or brittle leaves and stems.
crystals on the surfaces of plants. This is cold air settles, and the moisture in the • Check for split bark or broken
air stays close to the plant. Light winds
called frost. The tops of plants and trees can mix in more moisture, increasing branches on trees and shrubs.
are more exposed to the open sky; frost, but strong winds might prevent • Wait until the threat of frost is over
therefore, they lose heat faster than frost altogether by keeping surfaces (typically early spring) to evaluate
the lower parts sheltered by foliage warmer and drying them out. perennial plants, as some may show
or the ground. This makes the tops delayed signs of life.
colder and more likely to form frost. To help your garden recover after a
very cold winter, STM Landscaping Prune strategically:
Other factors, like clear skies or high recommends following these best • Remove dead or damaged branches
humidity, make frost more likely, while practices. and foliage using clean, sharp

Here is a perfect example of damaged frosted tops of a plant, with the greener Frost damage causes wilting.
foliage at the bottom.

18 Waterfall City Issue 8 2025