# Texas Freeze Aftermath!



## Ken N Tx (Apr 2, 2021)

Looks like these plants did not make it through the freeze!!


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## Aunt Marg (Apr 2, 2021)

It doesn't look good, Ken.

What a shame.

So hard to see slow-growth plants requiring such care to get them to a mature, shaped stage, gone.


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## Keesha (Apr 2, 2021)

That certainly is a shame. It will be difficult not seeing your usual plants around your home. 
Hopefully within time some of them will grow back. Wishing you the best.


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## Aunt Marg (Apr 2, 2021)

Keesha said:


> That certainly is a shame. It will be difficult not seeing your usual plants around your home.
> *Hopefully within time some of them will grow back.* Wishing you the best.


That's the problem with ornamental shrubbery, unless there's uniform growth throughout, the ornamental value has been lost.

Best to start from scratch.


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## Keesha (Apr 2, 2021)

Aunt Marg said:


> That's the problem with ornamental shrubbery, unless there's uniform growth throughout, the ornamental value has been lost.
> 
> Best to start from scratch.


I fully agree. I was merely offering ‘hope.’


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## RadishRose (Apr 2, 2021)

Sorry to see this @Ken N Tx !


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## Liberty (Apr 2, 2021)

Ken N Tx said:


> Looks like these plants did not make it through the freeze!!
> View attachment 157910View attachment 157911
> View attachment 157913View attachment 157914


What kind of plants are they Ken?  One looks like Mexican Heather?  Thinking to let them sit for a month and they will come back from the roots if your ground didn't get frozen.  Sometimes you yank them out of the ground too soon.  Keep them watered good and maybe shake some fertilizer on them.


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## SetWave (Apr 2, 2021)

My son outside Austin lost some beautiful trees.


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## fmdog44 (Apr 2, 2021)

The  palm trees look like they were poisoned with bleach


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## Ken N Tx (Apr 2, 2021)

Aunt Marg said:


> That's the problem with ornamental shrubbery, unless there's uniform growth throughout, the ornamental value has been lost.
> 
> Best to start from scratch.


Yes the full growth may never come back.


Liberty said:


> What kind of plants are they Ken?  One looks like Mexican Heather?  Thinking to let them sit for a month and they will come back from the roots if your ground didn't get frozen.  Sometimes you yank them out of the ground too soon.  Keep them watered good and maybe shake some fertilizer on them.


I don't really know what they are called. A nursery told my son that if they have any green, around the bottom,to pull off the dead leaves to leave room for new buds to grow out..Time will tell but it does not look good..

Nursery's are now running are out of plants as they too have been hit with the freeze!! Some said they will take about 3 years to bounce back!!


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## Remy (Apr 2, 2021)

That's bad but as long as the house made it through, that's more important.


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## Liberty (Apr 3, 2021)

We were at Lowe's yesterday and the garden center looked like a war zone...people everywhere buying shrubs, shrubs,
shrubs!

Our Sago Palms look like monsters from outer space...had all the frons cut off so the new growth could well "grow".
I'll try to take a picture, but I promise you, it won't be pretty.


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## Gary O' (Apr 3, 2021)

Ken N Tx said:


> Looks like these plants did not make it through the freeze!!


Best laid plans......

Reminds me of life up at the cabin

If the freeze didn't get things, critters would


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## Lethe200 (Apr 3, 2021)

Oh, that's a bummer for any gardener! So sorry to see the damage.

We're in yet another drought here in CA so it's going to be a rough year for my garden. Lesson learned; next life I will buy a LARGE house with a SMALL garden, and not the other way around!

LOL!


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## SetWave (Apr 3, 2021)

Lethe200 said:


> Oh, that's a bummer for any gardener! So sorry to see the damage.
> 
> We're in yet another drought here in CA so it's going to be a rough year for my garden. Lesson learned; next life I will buy a LARGE house with a SMALL garden, and not the other way around!
> 
> LOL!


Were you around in the seventies when the drought went on and on and on? Lots of dirty cars and dead lawns.


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## JustBonee (Apr 3, 2021)

fmdog44 said:


> The  palm trees look like they were poisoned with bleach



The many palm trees around our apartment complex really look distressed.    So far,  nothing has been removed .....  just  trimmed.
Maybe there is hope for a few of them.


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## Ken N Tx (Apr 9, 2021)

Our Iris came back strong!!


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## Liberty (Apr 10, 2021)

_Yep, Ken, bulbs usually do.  Our red lilies are fantastic this year.  Gave a bunch to my good friend just recently. Glad yours did well!_


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## Ruth n Jersey (Apr 10, 2021)

@Ken N Tx  that is such a shame. It is heartbreaking. Every spring I walk around our yard hoping nothing froze out over the winter.


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## Liberty (Apr 11, 2021)

Ruth n Jersey said:


> @Ken N Tx  that is such a shame. It is heartbreaking. Every spring I walk around our yard hoping nothing froze out over the winter.


We put freeze cloth around some of the plants that are more tropical.  It protects down to 24°.  Think the only thing we lost this year was a big old Rosemary bush...it was starting to die anyway, it was older than dirt.  Also lost the pool pump.  Hard to cocoon a swimming pool pump!


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## Ken N Tx (Apr 12, 2021)

We are trying to save 5 of our shrubs but I think we maybe pulling them out!! They will never be the same..


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## Aunt Bea (Apr 12, 2021)

Did you ever notice that the weeds don't seem to freeze?


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## Keesha (Apr 12, 2021)

I think you’d be best off getting brand new shrubs. It will probably take at least three growing seasons to get them back to where they were.

That must be depressing. We get used to the plants that accompany our home. They become welcoming fixtures.


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## Ken N Tx (Apr 12, 2021)

Keesha said:


> I think you’d be best off getting brand new shrubs. It will probably take at least three growing seasons to get them back to where they were.


Problem here is that growers/nursery's also got hit and plants are hard to come by!! Homeowners have already dwindled supplies at outlets!!


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## Ken N Tx (Apr 12, 2021)

Aunt Bea said:


> Did you ever notice that the weeds don't seem to freeze?


And pesty bugs!!!


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## Keesha (Apr 12, 2021)

Ken N Tx said:


> Problem here is that growers/nursery's also got hit and plants are hard to come by!! Homeowners have already dwindled supplies at outlets!!


Don't you have greenhouse nurseries?
I’ll bet if you looked online for greenhouse nurseries in your area you’d find something suitable. It might not be exactly the same but sometimes change is good. Anyway I wish you the best. You’ll figure something out.

Your irises are beautiful. Stunning even. 
I love irises.


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## Liberty (Apr 12, 2021)

Ken N Tx said:


> We are trying to save 5 of our shrubs but I think we maybe pulling them out!! They will never be the same..
> View attachment 159391


You may be surprised.  Just have to give them watering and  time to see.  Maybe in a couple months they will have regained their strength. looks like they are sure trying to come back, Ken.  It was a brutal freeze week, no doubt about it.  Been watering every day and now have some of the Mexican Heather greening up!  Have faith.


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## Ken N Tx (Apr 20, 2021)

Had to cut down another bush as it was not responding!!   

..


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## Liberty (Apr 20, 2021)

Ken, are you going to put the same kind of shrubs back in or something else this time?


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## Aunt Marg (Apr 20, 2021)

Ken N Tx said:


> Had to cut down another bush as it was not responding!!
> 
> View attachment 160677..View attachment 160679


I hope you're going to dig out the old root system, Ken, because in the event there's still a little life left deep within the root structure, it can affect the growth of the new planting you so choose. 

Weeds and existing roots structures are competition for new plantings, drawing nutrients away from new plantings.


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## Ken N Tx (Apr 20, 2021)

Liberty said:


> Ken, are you going to put the same kind of shrubs back in or something else this time?





Aunt Marg said:


> I hope you're going to dig out the old root system, Ken, because in the event there's still a little life left deep within the root structure, it can affect the growth of the new planting you so choose.
> 
> Weeds and existing roots structures are competition for new plantings, drawing nutrients away from new plantings.


Yes we plan on digging it out and replacing with something available.


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## Aunt Marg (Apr 20, 2021)

Ken N Tx said:


> Yes we plan on digging it out and replacing with something available.


Good to know, Ken.

Fingers crossed as to you finding a replacement or suitable alternative.


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## MickaC (Apr 20, 2021)

Ken N Tx said:


> Yes the full growth may never come back.
> 
> I don't really know what they are called. A nursery told my son that if they have any green, around the bottom,to pull off the dead leaves to leave room for new buds to grow out..Time will tell but it does not look good..
> 
> Nursery's are now running are out of plants as they too have been hit with the freeze!! Some said they will take about 3 years to bounce back!!


I hope for some recovery, Ken......there were times i shed tears, if i had to take loses in my yard, years of work and caring, then Mother Nature throws a curveball.


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## Ken N Tx (May 3, 2021)

5 more plants removed!!


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## Ken N Tx (May 16, 2021)

Ken N Tx said:


> Had to cut down another bush as it was not responding!!
> 
> View attachment 160677..View attachment 160679


Update..
....


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## Ken N Tx (Jul 1, 2021)

More replacing..

Refreshing mulch


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## Aneeda72 (Jul 1, 2021)

Liberty said:


> What kind of plants are they Ken?  One looks like Mexican Heather?  Thinking to let them sit for a month and they will come back from the roots if your ground didn't get frozen.  Sometimes you yank them out of the ground too soon.  Keep them watered good and maybe shake some fertilizer on them.


I agree, Liberty


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## Liberty (Jul 1, 2021)

Ken N Tx said:


> More replacing..
> View attachment 171691View attachment 171692
> Refreshing mulch
> View attachment 171693View attachment 171694


Looking good, Ken!


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## Ken N Tx (Jul 2, 2021)

Liberty said:


> Looking good, Ken!


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## Ken N Tx (Nov 19, 2021)

We are hoping they survive this winter!!


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## Liberty (Nov 19, 2021)

Ken N Tx said:


> We are hoping they survive this winter!!
> View attachment 195137


Wow, are those knock out roses, Ken?  At our place roses have to survive the deer (rats with horns, as my mom used to call them)...lol.  Your roses look gorgeous!


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## Jackie23 (Nov 19, 2021)

Your roses are beautiful!

I too have been replacing plants since the devastating freeze.
I planted thrift roses in early spring of this year and I have been amazed at the blooms they've produced....here it is November and they are still blooming.


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## JustBonee (Nov 19, 2021)

Funny that you brought this thread back to life today Ken.   While out walking this cold morning,  my thoughts went back to those  'nightmare'  days last February.  ...  2 days without any power. 

Thinking about getting some plan in place if another black-out hits.


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## Don M. (Nov 19, 2021)

Bonnie said:


> Funny that you brought this thread back to life today Ken.   While out walking this cold morning,  my thoughts went back to those  'nightmare'  days last February.  ...  2 days without any power.
> Thinking about getting some plan in place if another black-out hits.



If the long range forecasts are accurate, much of the nation is going to have another rather cold/severe Winter....especially during the early part of 2022.  It will be interesting to see if the Texas utilities have corrected some of the problems that caused last Winters outages.


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## JustBonee (Nov 19, 2021)

Don M. said:


> If the long range forecasts are accurate, much of the nation is going to have another rather cold/severe Winter....especially during the early part of 2022.  It will be interesting to see if the Texas utilities have corrected some of the problems that caused last Winters outages.



From what I gather listening to local news ... they haven't fixed anything.


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## Colleen (Nov 19, 2021)

When my husband retired in 2001, we sold our house in CA and bought a fifth-wheel and truck and hit the road. We spent winters in Brownsville, TX along with many other retirees (mostly from MN and Canada) in one of the retirement parks down there. One year (can't remember which year), the night before Christmas, we had snow and a freeze and it killed palm trees and cacti's and rose bushes in the park (and every where else). We also had a huge hail storm one time and the hail was the size of baseball's. It broke the shrouds on our air conditioner units on our fifth-wheel and we had large dents on the nose of our truck because it wouldn't fit under the car port all the way. I remember someone even sold one of the huge hail stones on Ebay...and someone actually bought it...haha.


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## Ken N Tx (Nov 20, 2021)

Liberty said:


> knock out roses


Yes, we planted 9 of them...


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## Ken N Tx (Apr 27, 2022)

Ken N Tx said:


> We are hoping they survive this winter!!
> View attachment 195137


They came back beautiful this spring!!


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## Liberty (Apr 27, 2022)

Ken N Tx said:


> They came back beautiful this spring!!
> View attachment 218934


Are those Knock Out roses?  Wondering if they would survive the deer if I planted some.  Deer love 
rose hips.  Look great, Ken!


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## Ken N Tx (Apr 28, 2022)

Liberty said:


> Are those Knock Out roses?  Wondering if they would survive the deer if I planted some.  Deer love
> rose hips.  Look great, Ken!


Yes they are knock outs.

We did loose a 23 year old Bradford Pear this year!!


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## Liberty (Apr 28, 2022)

Did your Pear tree smell bad when it was blooming?  Have heard they emit a bad odor.

Maybe plant a different kind of pear in its place?


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## Ken N Tx (Apr 29, 2022)

Liberty said:


> Did your Pear tree smell bad when it was blooming?  Have heard they emit a bad odor.
> 
> Maybe plant a different kind of pear in its place?


No smell, bees loved the blooms..


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## Lara (Apr 29, 2022)

I LOVE seeing all these successes and the pics
of you and your wife working together as a team
to make it all happen! Very inspiring! WTG
You two have some beautiful property there!
Great photos you took here yourself too @Ken N Tx Beautiful


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## Liberty (Apr 29, 2022)

Love the red and white contrast with the roses!


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## Lara (Apr 29, 2022)

...and the smooth round black River Rock that edges the Rose Bed. Nice touch.


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## MountainRa (Apr 29, 2022)

Ken N Tx said:


> Yes they are knock outs.
> 
> We did loose a 23 year old Bradford Pear this year!!
> View attachment 219039


Bradford Pear trees are banned from sale in SC starting in October 2024. Meanwhile homeowners are encouraged to immediately start removing the trees from their property. 

They are truly an awful hybrid  tree. They take over fields and pastures crowding out other species. When they revert back to their native species they put on a 4” thorn that can puncture a tractor tire.   Nearly impossible to kill one.
They have weak branch and trunk structure and will easily split in half. Don’t park your car under one.
If I sound like I really have it in for Bradford Pears it’s because we are currently trying to rid our pastures of these awful things.


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## dseag2 (Apr 29, 2022)

Almost all of our plants have recovered from the 2021 Freeze and they are now thriving.  The Japanese Yews were hit hard but they are now flourishing.  It has taken 2 years for our Carolina Jasmine to grow on the trellises but it is getting there!


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## Ken N Tx (Sep 9, 2022)

Another victim of Texas weather!! This time heat and drought!!!!!


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## Liberty (Sep 9, 2022)

Ken N Tx said:


> Another victim of Texas weather!! This time heat and drought!!!!!
> View attachment 238443


We watered everyday and everything came out surprisingly well...way better than expected.
What kind of a plant was that, Ken?


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## Ken N Tx (Sep 10, 2022)

Liberty said:


> We watered everyday and everything came out surprisingly well...way better than expected.
> What kind of a plant was that, Ken?


Not sure what the name was, it had been showing signs of distress ever since the freeze..

My wife watered the potted plants almost daily and they are doing good..I did the Knock Out Roses..


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## Liberty (Sep 10, 2022)

Ken N Tx said:


> Not sure what the name was, it had been showing signs of distress ever since the freeze..
> 
> My wife watered the potted plants almost daily and they are doing good..I did the Knock Out Roses..


If you watered the dead plant too, then one would assume it was a plant that couldn't endure the long hot summer/ sun temps.  Not be a species that does well in Texas.


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## Jackie23 (Sep 10, 2022)

I have two trees (both about 25' high) that are dead, one holly and the other is an oak, the holly had a few dead limbs from the freeze, now completely dead, the oak was completely dead within two weeks time, this summer.  I watered every day, rotating areas for two months...two over $200 water bills, this was mostly shrubs, I did not water the trees, thinking that surely they would be okay..


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## Ken N Tx (Sep 11, 2022)

Liberty said:


> If you watered the dead plant too, then one would assume it was a plant that couldn't endure the long hot summer/ sun temps.  Not be a species that does well in Texas.


The plant was well over 12 years old and had been cut back twice over previous years..


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