UPDATE: Here we go again. Another cold snap is making its way through the state, with forecast lows in the 30s in South Florida. If you brought in cold-sensitive plants or covered them, it’s time to do it again.
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Burned and wilted leaves, bare branches – the recent bout of freezing weather has taken a toll on fruit trees, landscape plants and agricultural fields. Time will tell the extent of the damage. Experts say: be patient.

“The fruit trees in Miami-Dade County did relatively well,” says Jeff Wasielewski of the Miami-Dade Extension Office. “Some areas stayed above freezing. All in all, the trees appear to be in good shape, but it is too early to tell if the developing blooms on fruit trees like mangos and avocados will be affected.”

At Fruit and Spice Park in the Redland, soursop trees showed leaf damage. Grower Marc Ellenby, who recently planted young breadfruit in one of his South Miami-Dade orchards, says they wrapped the trunks to protect the trees. They’re seeing leaf damage but it will take time to see how the trees fare. 

In Broward County, Eric Labrum, longtime garden director at the Rare Fruit and Vegetable Council of Broward County in Southwest Ranches, says the temperature last weekend dipped to 29 degrees. Members worked to protect cold-sensitive plants in the garden, home to many rare tropical fruit trees, he says. They wrapped smaller trees in a cage and brought smaller plants inside to protect from the cold winds.

“The soursops lost all their leaves, and so did the caimito,” he says. Their mature breadfruit leaves were all brown and drooping, and cacao leaves were affected by the cold.

Labrum says the trees so far look like they should recover, and some, like lychee, may thrive after the cold snap. 

There’s also a drought in South Florida, and Labrum was at work spreading high mounds of mulch around the trees and grounds to retain moisture and build up the soil. 

Elsewhere, local farms reported some damage. Tiny Farms noted on their social media account that frost took out their tomato plants and romano beans.

Elsewhere in the state, the initial estimate of damage in fields and groves after the freezes in January and early February is more than $3 billion. “This was one of the most damaging freeze events for Florida agriculture in history.” said Florida Commissioner of agriculture Wilton Simpson. According to a preliminary report released by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), hard-hit crops include tomatoes. strawberries, sweet corn. sugarcane, bell peppers, blueberries, citrus and greenhouse and nursery plants.

What Homeowners Can Do

Landscape plants have also been affected by the cold snap, but not all damage is permanent, says Sara MacDonald of the St. Lucie County Extension office.    

Check Water Needs 

• Cold, windy weather can dry plants out 
• Water plants to help thaw soil and rehydrate roots 
• Container plants may need extra attention 

Be Patient 

• Some cold damage shows up days or weeks later 
• New spring growth will show what’s truly alive 

Don’t Do This Yet

Don’t Rush Pruning 

• Avoid heavy pruning right after a freeze. 
• Cutting too early can remove living tissue and stimulate vulnerable new growth 

Don’t Fertilize 

• Wait until warmer weather and active growth return.
• Cold-damaged fruit trees should be fertilized at a reduced rate until they produce two to three new flushes of growth,” adds Wasielewski. “The trees are not at full strength and will not be able to process a full application of fertilizer.”

When You Do Prune

• Scratch the bark lightly with a fingernail. Green = alive. Brown/black = dead 
• Prune back only to healthy tissue 
• Dead, brown leaves can be removed once fully dry 

Lawns

• Brown turf after a freeze is often normal dormancy 
• Avoid fertilizing until spring green-up 

What to Watch For

• Delayed or no spring bud break 
• Weak or uneven growth 
• Branch dieback over time 

It’s Dry Out There

Drought conditions are creating additional problems. “It is normal for this time of the year to have dry conditions, but in this case, there is drier weather than usual,” says Wasielewski. “I visited the Everglades recently and the park is quite dry compared to previous years.” 

He says watering fruit trees is important, especially newer trees that are getting established. “Watering well once a week should suffice for smaller to medium-sized trees. Larger trees should be able to weather the dry conditions without supplemental watering.”

A water shortage warning was declared in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. Experts recommend all water users who depend on the Biscayne aquifer to use water efficiently:

• Limit landscape irrigation
• Mulch to keep water in the soil
• Make sure irrigation systems are working properly – fix leaks
• Reduce shower durations, minimize laundry loads, only run dishwashers when full

Find out more information from the Miami-Dade Extension Office.