Plant Experts Say It's Too Soon To Be Concerned About Trees, Plants After Winter Storms

After a brutal winter, many Oklahomans are worried if their plants and trees survived, but some plant experts said to don’t panic just yet.

“You know your perennial bulbs that are still underground we’re pretty hopeful that, that stuff should come back. For the most part, we’re pretty hopeful that most everything is gonna bounce back. Unfortunately, at this point it is just a waiting game,” Megan Richardson with Marcum's Nursery said.

Richardson said the roots should be fine, because the ground temperatures were not that bad. But if there is the dry or dead foliage, the plant or tree can’t get the necessary nutrients from the sun to push out the new green foliage. Richardson said there is a solution for that.

“In order to combat that, we’re suggesting that people supply those nutrients artificially with a high-end foliar spray fertilizer,” she said.

Richardson said it is the time to start fertilizing your plants and trees now for a healthy summer.

But what if you have that tree that just doesn’t look like it’s going to make it?

“I’m telling people, me personally, I’m going to wait it out. Until that tree shows me that it is just absolutely not going to push out anything, at that point, you’ll be looking at tree removal coming in with something new,” Richardson said.

Marcum's said it may be a little soon for planting flowers but gives the go-ahead for trees and shrubs. They typically recommend after Tax Day for flowers.