You might be asking yourself, does cold temperature affect my plant growth?
You may think your trees and shrubs hibernate in the winter months, and then they are all rested and ready to wake up for the spring. But cold winters can seriously impact both shrubs and trees, especially as they prepare for growing in the spring. Sure, dormancy is a tree’s natural defense against the freezing and long cold, late frosts and unexpected temperature swings could disrupt this state and delay the vibrancy of spring growth. You may be asking, does cold temperature affect my plant growth? The answer is yes, in more ways than one. Read on to learn how cold weather impacts plant growth and what you should be looking out for in terms of damage and recovery!
Damage to Newer Spring Growth
How does cold weather affect your plants? Winter damage to trees usually goes unnoticed until spring once your trees and shrub buds begin to open. Damage to new spring growth could happen if cold weather hits just as the buds are starting to develop, leading to noticeable signs of stunted growth, damaged leaves, and plant dieback. What is more is when trees and shrubs can not complete a full cycle of growing, their overall health could suffer. How will you see this? Deciduous trees might show buds that fail to open entirely or leaf out inconsistently while flowering shrubs could show reduced blooms and flowers that wilt prematurely.
Breaking Any Dormancy
Cold weather can be a real double-edged sword when your shrubs and trees are coming out of dormancy. Trees depend on dormancy to survive the brutal winter weather, but warm spells in the middle of the winter could trick plants into breaking dormancy too soon. This phenomenon is concerning, as these early signs of growth are then left vulnerable to damage if temperatures start to plummet again. How does temperature affect your plant growth when it comes to dormancy? Unpredictable temperature swings disrupt the dormancy cycle, which weakens trees and forces them to use up stored energy prematurely, too. To help prevent any premature dormancy breaks, late-full mulching around the root zone could act as a layer of insulation for your soil, creating a much more stable ground temperature that could help shield against drastic swings.
Tree Care and Maintenance from Harford Tree
Ready to have the beautiful yard you have always dreamed of? Harford Tree Experts & Landscaping, Inc has been in the business for decades, providing customers with quality work and quick responses all at the right price. We service the areas of Harford County, Baltimore County, and Baltimore City areas including Bel Air, Fallston, Perry Hall, Towson, Essex, Parkville, White Marsh and Middle River.
For service during business hours, reach out to us or give us a call at 410-592-7321. We offer 24/7 emergency service as well, just give us a call at 443-250-6649. For updates about our business and more informative tips, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.