Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Succulents
Succulent plants are rarely troubled by heat
but frost can kill the tips of the leaves. Watch
these dead parts carefully. If the dead area
appears to be increasing it is best to remove
them, despite further weather risks.
Succulents are very prone to fungal rotting
and any necrotic tissue on the plant will invite
fungal infestation that may kill the plant
completely.
Non-woodyorherbaceousplants
Plants without a woody structure, such as
many strappy-leaved plants or ornamental
plants that are dormant in the winter, will
almost always look the most miserable. If they
Figure 4.99
Leave evergreens with partial leaf damage
unpruned until after the risk of frost or extreme heat has
passed.
previously frost-damaged plants. Stems and
trunks that are unprotected by leaves may
easily be burnt. In such areas, the use of shade
cloth or painting trunks with white water
based paint can prevent further damage.
Some plants take the easy road out of trouble
by suckering from the base. In the case of
grafted plants such as fruit trees (especially
citrus), the rootstock will dominate. This will
result in the demise of the desired fruiting
part of the tree. If all of the wood above the
graft and suckers is dead, remove the entire
plant and replant with a more tolerant
species. If the wood above the suckers/graft is
alive, remove the suckers as soon as possible.
This will give the desired species grafted to
the rootstock the best chance of recovery (see
Figures 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, and 3.30, 'Suckers',
pages 31 and 46).
Figure 4.100
This agapanthus is so ideally suited to the
site it is considered an environmental weed. One freak
day of 48
o
C was more than it could cope with. It will
recover.
