PAGE A4, KEIZERTIMES, JULY 16, 2021
Patience will restore
sun-fried plants
A record-breaking heat
wave left plants, shrubs
and trees throughout the
Pacific Northwest burned
out and devastated.
There’s no denying
the damage is severe,
said Heather Stoven,
OSU Extension horticul-
turist. Some plants died
and others were fried by
the record-breaking tem-
peratures. However, even
some that look extremely
bad, like rhododendrons
and hydrangeas, can
bounce back. Burned
leaves don’t necessarily
equal a dead plant, so
patience and observation
is needed.
Here are some recom-
mendations from Stoven
and other experts:
• Go ahead and cut off
dead flowers, but try to
resist the urge to remove A sunburned schefflera struggles in the wake of a scorching
partially dead leaves, and four-day heat wave. Photo by ERIC A. HOWALD of Keizertimes
especially don’t do any
remove this year’s fruiting canes.
hard pruning. Leaves, dead or alive, will
• Apply mulch two to three inches
shade foliage that wasn’t burned and deep. Any organic matter will help retain
those with some green remaining will soil moisture and even out the tempera-
continue to photosynthesis. Pruning ture of the soil.
forces new growth that will be damaged
When the next drastic heatwave
if there is another heat event and cre- appears in the forecast, protect precious
ates a place where diseases and pests plants using a shade cloth, available at
can enter the plant. Also, keep in mind, garden centers. Rig a frame and spread
if you cut back spring-blooming plants the cloth over. Try not to lay it directly
like rhododendrons, you’ll be cutting on the plants so they have air circula-
off buds that will be flowers next year. tion. The temperature under the shade
Foliage will grow back unless the plant cloth can be 10 degrees lower. Or, use
is too far gone.
shade cloth over cold frames, cloches
• Water deeply. Use drip or soaker and greenhouses. Avoid disturbing soil
hoses for more efficient water use; water before and during heat waves as it will
is lost to evaporation when using an cause existing moisture to evaporate
overhead sprinkler. Roots extend beyond more quickly.
the plant, so be sure to cover an area
wider than just under the plant. Don’t
overwater, however. Stressed plants are
more susceptible to pests and diseases
and root rot could become a problem. To
test the moisture, stick a screwdriver in
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the soil. It will penetrate easily if the soil
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is moist. The best time is early morning
so plants can use the water through the
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day when they need it and residual water
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• Berries can be pruned lightly, but
wait until the usual pruning time to
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