What will the frost do to my plants?

It is hard to tell for sure right now.  The following information was released by Chris Starbuck, who specializes in Woody Ornamentals in the MU Horticulture Department.

Homeowners should wait to cut down trees damaged by ice storms this past winter. Recent injury from the Easter freeze will make it difficult to determine the extent of winter injury to your trees, said a University of Missouri horticulturalist.

“It is difficult to predict how many of the storm-damaged trees will respond. Unless they are an obvious hazard, it may be wise to wait for a year or two before removing trees that appear to have been hit hard,” said Chris Starbuck. “Some trees that look hopeless may recover surprisingly quickly.”

Ice storms can cause several types of tree injury. The most common damage is broken branches. Most trees can recover from this type of injury fairly well, Starbuck said. When small- or medium-sized branches break off the main trunk, the tree forms a protective barrier of wound tissue.

Lateral branches may grow from the remaining portion of the original branch and produce new foliage.

The most serious damage ― breaks or splits on the main trunk and on massive branches ― usually occurs on large, mature trees. This sort of damage also is found on silver maples and other trees where the branches grow at a narrow angle from the trunk, Starbuck said.

While not causing rapid tree death, such damage exposes large areas of wood to decay, which can progress rapidly and make the tree susceptible to further storm damage.

Large branches that lose their leaves can weaken a tree because they restrict the movement of carbohydrates to the roots and limit the tree's ability to produce callus tissue to cover wounds.

“A rule of thumb often mentioned by tree experts is that a tree that has lost less than 50 percent of its branches stands a reasonably good chance of recovering,” he said.

Trees bent over by a storm can sometimes be straightened by staking them upright. However, the tree may develop longitudinal cracks and splits that may not be obvious but serve as entry points for insects and diseases, Starbuck said. Even trees that appear to straighten up with a few months are susceptible to this sort of damage.

Keep in mind that tree work is dangerous, Starbuck said. Hire a professional to work on large trees or branches.