‘Don’t panic,’ says gardener over damage
A Lehigh Acres master gardener is urging residents of the community not to panic just because when they look out their windows or walk their lawns, they
see brown and black palm fronds and bushes that appear dead and brown leaves ready to fall of trees.
The damage to many tropical plants and trees in Lehigh came as a result of the frost and freeze that hits most parts of Lehigh Acres two weeks ago.
“We didn’t make out as well as the folks who live along the coast. We’re really in a temperate weather zone and when the temperatures go down to freezing and below for some time, it will affect many plants here,” said Terry Wolfley.
He said this winter in Southwest Florida has been one of the colder ones on record.
“We have this cold snaps every 10 to 12 years and it leaves the foliage of many plants brown and it can have a devastating effect on produce grown by
farmers outside of Lehigh in areas like Immokalee,” Wolfley said.
For those in Lehigh who had small gardens, Wolfley said tender crops like sugar corn were killed. Such was the case along a canal in the area of Harrison Lane area where the homeowners lost all their small crops.
All the palms planted along the narrow canal, including coconut palms were left black and brown.
But Wolfley says most of the palm plants will survive.
“Those that were fertilized and taken care of prior to the freeze will more than likely be okay,” Wolfley said. “Some of the younger plants that were not
taken care of may be lost.”
“What happens is that the longer the temperatures are under 32 degrees, the better the chance of damage,” he said.
Wolfley has a miniature weather station at his home and he said that it registered 19 degrees during the first freeze. It was sometime around 4 a.m.,
he said.
There are two types of freezing. First there is a frost and it can leave tender plants brown and kill blooms of flowers if homeowners have not properly covered their plants.
The next is a freeze when it goes below 32 degrees, down to the 20s and stays there for a few hours.
He warned homeowners not to run out and start pruning limbs from trees just yet.
“Just wait for a while. The plant has been stressed by the cold weather and cutting of limbs will not help it,” Wolfley said. “It’s better to make sure the
plant gets plenty of water so the roots can become stronger,” he said.
He noted that he has only observed a few citrus trees in Lehigh that had some damage. Mostly, it was not cold enough to freeze the oranges or grapefruit trees. He said Fichus hedges and trees were hit hard and noted the appearance of the hedge at The Heritage on Taylor Lane Extended. The hedge is “burned” a few inches from the top. He advised that the owners leave the hedge alone
until it gets warmer, in about 30 days.
Those with banana plants may have no worries, not unless they are small plants that have been planted within the last few months.
“But even those that have turned black – give them time and you may see green sprouts in the middle showing it is not dead,” he said.
“Just don’t run out into your yards and start pruning, not just yet,” he said.
Wolfley believes the worst is over for this winter but if a massive cold Arctic blast were to hit the northwestern part of the country, it could happen again.
“But my guess is that it is over. It’s the middle of February and I don’t think we will see another freeze,” Wolfley said.
He advises people to use plenty of mulch in the fall, before the possibility of a freeze and to use fertilizer needed for certain plants.
Wolfley also said he lives closer to Alva and it was colder there than in some parts of western Lehigh. He plans to re-do his half-acre lawn.
“What we’re going to do is use native plants. They are attractive and they will survive these winters in Florida. Sometimes, plants that were not meant to grow this far south won’t survive the cold temperatures.
And Wolfley reminded folks that when there is a freeze or a very cold spell that could produce frost, they should bring in their potted plants and cover
their other plants with sheets and plastic.
Wolfley said the last bad freeze year was 2001 and he has some 3,000 photos in his collection showing damage over the years.
That thermometer reading at his house on Broadway near Alva was 19.8 degrees and it was 4:25 a.m.
“It didn’t get that cold in most of Lehigh however,” he said of the first freeze.
He said those who are new to Florida think that since their grass has turned brown, it may be dead.
“No worries there,” he said. “Just like up north when it freezes or there is a heavy frost, the grass will turn brown, but it will turn green as soon as the
weather warms and the rainy season returns,” he said.
“Remember to use fertilizer every two months during the year and make sure your plants get water. That will make them strong enough to endure the colder days in the winter here,” Wolfley said.
“It’s funny because you can ride down the street and see plants in some yards that were not affected and next door, the same plants were. Often it is because
the plants that were the strongest were the ones taken care of and not damaged,” he said.
And he reminded homeowners not to prune their orange trees. He suggests waiting until May or June. It will be then that you will notice if any of the limbs are dead.
Then they should be pruned, he said.
Wolfley is a former employee of the FAA and came to Florida in 1976. He said he has been here for 10 years having moved from Homestead.
His love for gardening, he says, comes from his mother. He recalls the Victory Gardens of World War II.
“I remember pulling weeds, and my mom and dad gave me a small spot and I planted vegetables and they did well and I have loved gardening ever since,” he said. He has been a master gardener since 2,000.