Will My Tree Seedlings Recover From Frost Damage?

Winter damage is hard on seedlings.

Frost damage has the potential to destroy a crop of seedling trees, as it weakens and damages them. Saving seedlings requires attention and care in the early spring, when the trees are most likely to recover.

Frost Damage

Frost damages seedlings in a number of ways; it can split the bark, kill off new growth, cause branches to become brittle or kill them and, in severe cases, split the trunk. Seedlings with split trunks are unlikely to survive, as the wound is more susceptible to disease and the upper branches may not receive nutrients.

Pruning

Pruning is one of the things a gardener can do to help a seedling survive frost damage. Removing the most badly damaged branches of the tree stimulates new growth and prevents dead wood from rotting on the tree, which promotes disease and fungal growth.

Water

Water and nutrients are vital to a frost-damaged seedling. Keeping the soil moist and nutrient-rich helps the tree process sunlight and repair damage on its own. Seedlings that receive regular water and an application of nitrogen-rich fertilizer in the early spring may survive frost damage.

References

• University of Missouri Extension; Ice and Freeze Damage Ornamental and Fruit Trees; Chris Starbuck and Michele Warmund; Mar. 2008
• Colorado State University Extension; Environmental Disorders of Woody Plants; C.E. Swift, W.R. Jacobi, M. Schomaker and D.A. Leatherman; April 2008

Resources

• Michigan State University Extension; Assessing Frost Freeze Damage; Mark Longstroth; June 9, 2010