What will happen to damaged plants?
The warm weather in March created an opportunity for trees and shrubs to bud out – weeks ahead of schedule. The newly emerged leaves didn’t have the chance to harden-off, or adjust to our environment, before the extremely cold weather returned. The recent cold snap has caused most new buds to die off. April in Chicago is usually mildly cold, but temperatures we experienced below 21° were extreme. The cold weather alone isn’t to blame for the burnt landscapes. Wind gusts up to 53 mph created havoc for the newly emerged delicate leaves.
Healthy trees and shrubs have had enough food reserves to develop another set of leaves. They may, however, look ugly for a few weeks with leaves appearing brown until the new growth appears. Fortunately, the crabapple trees and lilacs were still in tight bud through the brunt of the cold wave. They should still flower this year but bloom time may be delayed.
The cold weather unfortunately did create havoc for magnolia and rhododendron blooms. Spring bulbs have also struggled with the weather, but should recover for next year as long as we don’t experience any more unexpected extreme weather this season. Don’t worry about the health of your plants, no permanent damage was sustained.
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William Quinn and Sons, Inc.
3860 W. 127th St.
Alsip, IL 60803
Phone: 708-389-8119
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