Hopefully Plant Damage will be Minimal: Here's Why...
The heavy rain we had before the freeze helped protect your plants from cold damage to the roots and stems. The plant tissues were hydrated and supple. Also, winter had already arrived. The cold temperatures "hardened off" the plants, that is, stopping new and tender growth. A dry freeze would have been far more damaging. The freeze of January 1985 caused massive plant damage when temperatures dipped to the single digits right after a warm, dry sunny spell.
What you should do this week: Water your container plants, flowers, and plants installed within the last 6 months as soon as temperatures rise above 40 degrees. These plants are the most vulnerable. Evergreens such as azaleas, camellias, gardenias, and hollies need water ideally once a week during the winter. The last rain was on Thursday. Also, mulching the plants in January helps regulate the soil temperature and moisture.
