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How to keep your plants alive and healthy during a cold snap

Posted at 8:11 PM, Jan 18, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-18 20:11:30-05

If your plants look bad after last night's freeze, here's some advice, let them be. 

"If I were to cut it back and we have another frost or freeze, it's going to be even more vulnerable," said Mathews. 

Walton Mathews' family business, Earl's Garden Shop, has been serving Tampa for more than 70 years. 

He says don't cut back, prune or pinch plants that have been nipped by the freezing temperatures. 

What you can do is keep them hydrated and then cover them again if you're dealing with more cold weather.

"If you're going to cover again, cloth is really better if you're applying it directly to the plant," said Mathews. 

He says hibiscus, tropical plants, crotons and many palms are very cold sensitive and need to be wrapped up. 

Also palms can be treated with a fungicide so they're not susceptible to disease after a cold snap. 

"And we're right here at the middle of January now so there's still plenty of time for cold weather," said Mathews.