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Burned plants, what to do now?

  • Posted on
  • By Jonn ' J-Dogg' Karsseboom
  • 25

The past heat wave has left some lingering signs of plant damage. What to do about that? It's an easy (and rewarding remedy). But I first had to get over a false sense of pride.

 

Comments

  1. Jonn Karsseboom Jonn Karsseboom

    Hi Michelle! I consider yours a huge compliment! Where to get the music? Have you tried Shazam while it’s playing? (My only guess.)

  2. Patricia werth Patricia werth

    My rhododendrons and hydrangeas really suffered in the heat wave but you have given me a fund of knowledge and because they are old plants and have been well taken care of I will do my best to take care and cut back both to hope for the best.
    My yard is my oasis. Thank you for all the wonderful help and knowledge of our plants.

  3. Jonn Karsseboom Jonn Karsseboom

    Oh Linda! You do make me laugh. (Thank you!) And many thanks for your support of all the Garden Rebels that visit The Garden Corner. (Linda here is our Baking Rebel and all the baked treats come from her kitchen and often times garden.) I did enjoy watching the few Rebels this morning enjoying your fresh made blueberry - raspberry something something. Garden On!

  4. Linda Linda

    HA...pride goeth before the garden(er). I have to say I'm wounded that you binged on fig newtons vs. my baking (I even made your approved brownie kisses for Father's Day!) but next bag of Newtons--freeze them first. It would make a great snack on the hot days to have a bag in your freezer at the coffee bar. I can't eat them any other way. I'm glad you brought up the burn. I told you I have apples that literally roasted on the tree but oddly the brown patches on ALL facing that way in the hottest part of the day only seared the patch--the rest of the apple didn't get ruined by it. My poor new lingonberries seem to be struggling but I did notice the plant underneath seems to be alive even if the tops seem fried. Hopefully they will recover. Speaking of things that liked the heat--the raspberries and blueberries seemed to enjoy it. Blueberries seemed to ripen overnight. Thanks for all the great advice. I might have to be another Edward Scissorhands and see what I can help now that I know the possibilities. Lastly, the hummers said all the feeders looked empty..... Luckily they have all that salvia!!! LIVE YOUR PASSION with good memories of Aurelio and better moments in the garden.

  5. Jonn Karsseboom Jonn Karsseboom

    Hi Glenda!
    Yes! Pluck the burned leaves on your rhododendron and it should produce a fresh one by the end of this summer. As for the burned and brown one, we can only treat it the same and give it plenty of time to recoup. This I’m sure will test your personal patience level. It will be your call to give it up and replace it with something new. ( I would also give it 3 doses of our Flower Power once per week..)

  6. Glenda Glenda

    Hi Jonn. I have several rhododendrons that are about 4 feet high that were burned pretty badly; one was damage last winter in the ice storm, and it is totally brown… Some of the others have some brown and green leaves on them. Should I cut the brown spots back, for can I just takeoff the dead leaves? And is there any hope for the one that’s totally scorched, or should I replace it?

  7. Jonn Karsseboom Jonn Karsseboom

    Hi Marilyn! That’s a great description of crocosmia … “Fourth of July in the Garden”. (You might see me borrowing that if you don’t mind.) As for your unfortunate burn on your dear plant I’d cut the brown out and leave the rest. Either way though, keep us in the loop. We could learn something here. (Garden On!)

  8. Jonn Karsseboom Jonn Karsseboom

    Hi Terri! You’re not alone! Of course the way dogwoods’ leaves hang, gives them an appearance sometimes of constant droop. Keep up the good watering though. As you know, they’re entirely worth it! (Keep us all in the loop too.)

  9. Jonn Karsseboom Jonn Karsseboom

    Hi Joy! You have a friend indeed! Plus you made our day mentioning the “personality of plants”. I couldn’t agree more!

  10. Jonn Karsseboom Jonn Karsseboom

    Hi Terry!
    What a surprise! Many thanks for weighing in on our recent heat… I’d consider you a top expert on that. Any other tips that come to mind please don’t hesitate. Garden On!

  11. Marilyn Staples-Sundt Marilyn Staples-Sundt

    My Lucifer crocosmia were just getting ready to bloom, and they suffered greatly. In fact, about half of the leaves look as brown as late in the fall. Should I remove those leaves only or cut the whole bunch back? We've had this bunch for years, and both the hummingbirds and I look forward to their blooms every year. Sort of 4th of July fireworks in the garden.

  12. Terri Burnette Terri Burnette

    My newly planted pink dogwood, planted last year in June, looks awful after the heat. We have been deep watering it. What do I do!! Love this little tree.

  13. Joy Bowden Joy Bowden

    A dear friend forwarded your video. I love being in the garden, letting me see the growth and personality of plants. So relieved that I didn't do more harm to cutting back burned foliage. Thank you for your kind words.

  14. Terry Wibberg Terry Wibberg

    I love the video. At our garden center in the Houston area we struggle with this every summer. Because of it we let inventory run down on certain things that don’t like the high heat and humidity. On the other hand, once the days become shorter and the nights cooler, most plants go through a rebirth and look spectacular until the first freeze usually in the first half of November. Keep up the good work John. And always remember to follow your passion.

  15. Jonn Karsseboom Jonn Karsseboom

    Hi Lori!
    The remedy for your hydrangea as well as your oriental Lilly is the same: cut back the burned foliage (and blooms). I’m not kidding about the good feeling you’ll get when you do!

  16. Jonn Karsseboom Jonn Karsseboom

    Hi Judy! Good move! Now I know there are a few in this group wanting to know the answer to the bigger question: How did you get your son to do it? (Congrats!)

  17. Lori Lori

    I have some oriental lilly’s that are fried. My hydrangeas look really bad ! Can anything be done ?????????

  18. judy Buchholz judy Buchholz

    most of my roses were so burned that my son just pruned them back hope that was okay.

  19. Jonn Karsseboom Jonn Karsseboom

    Hi Janessa! Thank you for writing! It’s true isn’t it? Gardening has a way to get straight to our heart. (Where it matters.) Garden On!

  20. Jonn Karsseboom Jonn Karsseboom

    Haha Peter! I would never take something from you as disparaging. Your comment put me in a thoughtful mood and when I heard it the second time at the end of the day (almost word for word too) I knew my pride wasn’t allowing me to see the truth. (So thank you!) You too have mad gardening skills btw. (And it’s always good to see you!)

  21. Jennesa Jennesa

    Thanks, Jonn, for the validation, advice and garden therapy today! Just what I needed to mourn the loss of some of my favorites and move on.

  22. Peter Peter

    Oh Jon, I’m sorry I wounded your pride, you know how much I respect your mad skills! I certainly didn’t mean it disparagingly. I think it just really hit me the extent of the heat damage to the whole region.

  23. Jonn Karsseboom Jonn Karsseboom

    Hi Sandra!
    Pride is always one I have to wrestle with and it still can sneak away and knock me a good one. (It’s why I love gardening.) As for your crocosmias they bloom so profusely and knowing that, I would cut back the worst of burned blooms and spare the rest. Make sure you have your camera at the ready then… as you probably are well aware, the hummingbirds won’t be able to resist them! (Try using your slow motion on your camera phone too. It’s awesome.)

  24. Jonn Karsseboom Jonn Karsseboom

    Hi Alice!
    I should have also shown you our burned hydrangeas so we could commiserate together. The remedy is the same though. Cut back all burned blooms as well as leaves. (I will cut the stem back just before the next set of good-looking leaves. )Then keep up good watering through any next heat waves.

  25. Sandra Sandra

    Really nice vid, Jonn. Thanks for your transparency and greatinstruction.. I can relate to the wounded pride! I'm most sad about the loss of crocosmia blooms that were just about to burst. I covered so many plants with shade cloth .. but didnt think about this favorite. Do you think I should leave the partially scorched blooms and see if the new buds open or just strip them off entirely?

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