Weather-Damaged Plant Care

We’ve had the wettest month of May in recorded history in Chicago! It’s not the kind of record we wanted to achieve this spring. Along with lots of rain, we had hail this past week at our Naperville Farmstand. Our outdoor plants took a beating! We closed our Oswego Farmstand (until mid-July) and brought all available stock to Naperville. The selection has been replenished! What do you keep on a plant after weather damage and what do you cut off? We did some research on weather-damaged plant care.

For damaged leaves that are torn but still firmly attached to the plant, keep them. That plant needs nutrients from the sun. It will help with the plant’s photosynthesis = healing and new growth.

For damaged leaves or branches that are dangling and barely hanging onto the plant, remove them. In photo, branch has serious damage. Nutrients from soil will not reach the rest of the branch.

Snip off right below damage. Use scissors for a clean cut.