Brenda Beust Smith photo
Hyacinth bean vine
Hurricane Ike’s surge of salt water into area gardens had a devastating effect on plant life. It may be years before we see the full extent of the damage. But, in the meantime, folks are starting to replant.
The tips experts are giving these folks serve as well for enriching nonimpacted landscapes. An extensive list of resources can be found at aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/recovery. For example, Galveston County Extension horticulturist William Johnson notes that the Texas AgriLife Extension is sponsoring a special soil-testing program. Details can be found at the website or by calling 281-534-3413, ext. 1 or 2.
Even if your soil wasn’t impacted, you are eligible for soil testing. If you don’t live in the Galveston area, look for your county extension office listed on the website.
Since technically we’re in “winter,” it’s difficult to tell if a plant is irrevocably damaged or just dormant. Even plants that don’t ordinarily die back in winter might do so after such a trauma. It’s not unusual for plants to take weeks to recover so give them until March or April to show new growth.
Older and healthier plants with stronger root systems are more likely to recover if given time. To determine if a plant is still alive, Johnson recommends scraping the outer woody stem tissue with your thumbnail. If you see soft green wood underneath, there’s still hope.
Water regularly, but don’t overwater. Don’t fertilize. Most fertilizers contain salts similar to sea salt. Mulch root areas well.
Prune damaged limbs, branches and fronds being careful not to tear bark or leave stubs. Both invite insects and disease. On soft wood plants, prune above a leaf node.
Normally we prune summer-blooming shrubs (hibiscus) now, and spring-blooming shrubs (azaleas) after they bloom. Will they bloom now if they bloomed out-of-season in the fall as a result of the Ike trauma? All we can do is wait and see.
Extension horticulturist Don C. Wilkerson warns against parking on or driving over the roots of stressed trees. This compacts the soil, smushing out vital oxygen. The same is true of soil around stressed shrubs in the garden. Stepping stones will help reduce compaction if you have to walk over the soil.
Galveston County Master Gardener Jan Brick writes on the website above about a silver lining. If you’ve always wanted to redo your Gulf Coast landscape, this might be the perfect opportunity. Some hurricane/salt water-hardy plants to consider include althaea, amaryllis, angel trumpet, bottlebrush, bougainvillea, butterflyweed, cactus, Carolina jessamine, cannas, crown of thorns, crape myrtle, esperanza, ficus, fiddle leaf fig, hamelia (hummingbird bush), hibiscus, ixora, lemon and lime trees, Norfolk pines, pencil trees, periwinkles, philodendrons, plumerias, sanseveria, rubber trees, turnera and yuccas.
Fan and queen palms also have proven hardy. Ferns include sprengeri and firecracker.
I was particularly excited when Linda Elissalde from Crystal Beach wrote that she was ready to tackle her landscape. That’s especially exciting news from Bolivar Peninsula.
I recommended she use the Houston Rose Society technique of putting down landscape timbers or other border material to raise the area about a foot if you can, 8-10 inches if not. Before filling the area with good garden soil, I suggested Elissalde first put down a 2- to 3-inch layer of good compost. Water well using seaweed extract or fish emulsion (both are available at nurseries; follow label directions for dilution rates). The fish emulsion/seaweed extract/compost will decompose and help counteract heavy salt build-up in the soil below.
Plant; mulch well. I suggested she first plant whatever made her happy in her old garden. I know she had great success with hyacinth bean vines. So many other plants do great on Bolivar: duranta, crinums, daylilies, natal plum, pride of Barbados, lantana and wildflowers such as black-eyed Susans, evening primroses and Indian blankets.
If one part of the landscape is severely damaged, but another looks reasonably well, plant annual color in the latter area to draw the eyes away from less-attractive views. Use petunias, snapdragons, dianthus and other colorful annuals plentiful in nurseries now.
Keep a close eye on large trees. They can die from the inside out. This means the core can be completely dead while the branches are still putting out green growth. They might topple in wind. Watch for burnt leaf margins, cracks in the bark, weeping of sap and black ants going in and out of bark openings. These are signs large trees should be checked by a professional.