Protecting Plants From Freezing Temperatures

Last week’s big freeze didn’t just wreak havoc on El Paso’s utilities…it also made a mess of the borderland’s plant life.

Throughout the city ABC-7 spotted several examples of damaged plant life. From frost-bitten fronds outside commercial businesses to comatose-lloking cacti in front of homes to droopy desert plants in street medians.

Hilde Poole is an office manager at the Casa Verde nursery. She says plant owners need to take precautions to make sure their fronds don’t end up frost-bitten.

“The best thing is just to make sure you do not let your things dry out. Remember: water, water, water. Water will help insulate the roots,” she said.

Poole also talked about the importance of covering plants up or bringing them inside before temperatures drop. “Don’t fertilize (the plants),” she warned.

So what if plants are already looking in bad shape? Poole said it’s best not to act hastily. “Do not get rid of anything. A lot times people have called when we’ve had cold days and they’ve pulled up their palms. Well, their palms may not have been dead, but because the fronds are dead they think the plant is dead.”

She said it can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months for the plant to come back to life if the roots are in tact and the temperatures are warm enough.

“Just bear it and smile, it’ll come back,” she said.

ABC-7 asked city officials what’s next for some of the damaged flora lining El Paso’s street medians. They said they are waiting for an evaluation of the area’s water system to assess the damage. Only then will they be able to determine whether anything needs to be replanted. The city said it’s too early to tell if that will add up to any extra expenses, but mentioned the city owns its own tree farm, which could help offset costs by providing replacement plants.