Dallas Winter Storm Landscape Recovery Tips

If your landscape looks rough after the recent winter storm, you are not alone. Freezing temperatures can take a toll on even well-established plants. The good news is that many landscapes recover with time and a little care.

We know you want to check for, and possibly remove damage right away, but read this important information first!

First, leave plant covers in place until nighttime temperatures stay above freezing. Removing covers too early can expose tender growth to another cold snap. Once the risk of freezing has passed, remove the covers and water deeply. A slow, thorough watering helps roots rehydrate and supports recovery after cold stress.

Leave plants covered until temps remain consistently above freezing

You may notice plants that look damaged or lifeless. Try not to rush to remove them. Many shrubs and plants show freeze damage on the outside but recover later. Leave questionable plants in place until late spring. By then, you will know which ones are truly lost and which ones are coming back.

Some plants are more likely to suffer permanent damage, especially if they were left uncovered during the freeze. In North Texas, plants that often struggle after hard freezes include:

Oleander
Pittosporum
Loropetalum
Azaleas
Indian hawthorn
Gardenia
Yews

These plants may leaf out late or not at all. Patience matters here. Cutting them back too soon can make things worse.

Close-up of snow-dusted, green bamboo leaves in a winter setting.

Snow-covered bush with red berries and leaves.

Perennial flowers are usually fine. Even if the tops look dead, they often return from the roots once soil temperatures warm. Leave dead stems and foliage in place until after March 15th, which is our average last frost date. That dead growth helps protect new shoots from late cold nights.

This Gold Star Esperanza will likely be just fine in the spring

Winter annuals like pansies, dianthus, and snapdragons often look rough right after a hard freeze, especially if they were not covered. Blooms may be flattened, discolored, or completely gone. That damage is usually cosmetic if they were covered. As temperatures warm, these plants push new growth and set fresh blooms. Leave them in place, remove spent flowers once the weather settles, and keep up with regular watering and fertilizer. In most cases, they rebound quickly and continue flowering through early spring.

Photo by Dheeraj M on Unsplash

Above all, give your landscape time. Cold damage often looks worse before it looks better. Spring growth tells the real story.

If you do lose plants and need replacements, we can help. Choosing plants that handle North Texas heat, and cold swings makes a big difference long term. We focus on selections that look good year after year and hold up in extreme conditions, so you are not dealing with the same losses again.

If you are unsure what to keep, what to remove, or what to replace, contact us to schedule a consultation to walk your property and put a clear plan in place. That way, you can move into spring knowing your landscape is handled the right way.

Splendid Gardens provides professional landscape services to Dallas and surrounding cities in North Texas. We take great pride in delivering customized services to each client. Our experienced teams provide a variety of services including landscape design, installation, scheduled maintenance services, custom flagstone and redesign of existing landscapes. We actively give back to the community by volunteering our services to local projects in need.

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What to Do After the January Dallas Winter Storm: Landscape Tips

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