Before a freeze in North Florida & South Georgia, check overhead for dead or cracked limbs, skip pruning and fertilizer on tender plants, mulch the roots, and cover small plants to the soil. Healthy mature trees need no wrapping. The real risk is dead wood that fails when cold and wind arrive. Call Josh at (850) 888-5603.
Preparing Trees for a Freeze in North Florida & South Georgia
Questions about a tree? Call Josh at (850) 888-5603.
When the Cold Actually Shows Up
We tallied NOAA's daily low-temperature records for 1991 through 2024. The median first 32°F night came on around mid-November in Albany, November 23 in Tallahassee, and November 29 in Valdosta. In Tallahassee the median first night at 28°F or lower was December 2, and the median last 32°F night was March 13, though April 23 has happened (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS).
The swings matter more than the averages. Tallahassee's low was 49°F on December 22, 2022, then 20°F two nights later and 18°F on December 26. On January 21, 2025, 1.5 inches of snow fell, with lows of 25, 21, and 20°F over the next three nights. Last winter Tallahassee had 21 nights at 28°F or below, and the low was 18°F on February 2, 2026.
Look Up First
Trees are not hurt by a freeze the way a hibiscus is (our winter tree care guide covers what cold does to them), but cold fronts often arrive with wind, and wind finds weak limbs. Walk the yard before the first front and look for:
- Dead limbs, especially in the tops of water oaks, laurel oaks, and pecans
- Broken limbs hung up in the crown
- Cracks at the fork where two big stems meet
- Large limbs reaching over the roof, the driveway, or the car
- Pines with browning tops or heavy lean
Those are the ones that come down in January. Taking dead wood out now beats finding it on the roof. Our dormant-season trimming guide covers which trees are fine to prune in winter.
What Not to Do in Late Fall
UF/IFAS says not to fertilize cold-sensitive plants in late fall or winter, because it pushes new growth that cold injures first. It also says newly pruned plants are more susceptible to cold damage, so postpone pruning of tender plants until spring (UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions).
That applies to queen palms, hibiscus, bottlebrush, and other tender plants. It does not apply to dead or hazardous limbs on a hardy tree. Those come out whenever you find them.
Protecting What Is Tender
For small or potted plants, UF/IFAS says to move them to shelter or cover them, and to drape the cover all the way to the ground so the soil's heat is trapped underneath. Remove it once the temperature is back above freezing. If a plant is too big to cover, wrap the trunk in several layers of cloth.
Skip the sprinkler trick. UF/IFAS says home irrigation systems just waste water during a freeze, and the water can freeze into heavy ice that damages plants.
A 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch over the root zone, kept off the trunk, helps buffer the soil. Put it down in fall, not the night before. See our mulch mistakes guide for how to do it right.
Newly Planted Trees
A tree planted this fall or last spring has a small root system and is the one to watch. Water it deeply before a hard freeze if the soil is dry, check the mulch ring, and make sure any stakes are not rubbing the bark. Our fall and winter planting guide explains why this is a good planting season.
What Josh Looks For
When we look at a tree before winter, we are asking three things. Is there dead wood that could fall? Is there a weak fork or crack that wind could open? Is the tree leaning toward the house, a road, or a line? Josh will tell you what he sees, and you decide what to do. If something needs to come out, that may be tree pruning of one limb or, for a tree that is failing, tree removal. For a tree you are worried about near the house, a hazard inspection is the starting point.
Cleanup, debris removal, and stump grinding are separate from the cutting and are quoted on the call, so ask about them up front.
Josh works across North Florida and South Georgia from his base in Tallahassee, including Tallahassee, Thomasville, and Valdosta. If a freeze has already hurt your plants, read what to cut and when to wait and our spring freeze recovery guide.
Want a tree checked before the cold? Call Josh at (850) 888-5603.
FAQ
Do I need to wrap my trees for a freeze in North Florida?
No. Established trees native to the region do not need wrapping. Wrap or cover small tender plants and potted plants instead, and do it down to the ground.
Should I prune before a freeze?
Not tender plants. UF/IFAS says fresh pruning makes them more vulnerable. Dead and hazardous limbs on hardy trees are different, and those should come out.
Will a freeze kill my palms?
It depends on the palm. Sabal palms handle our winters well. Queen palms are cold-sensitive and can be damaged or killed in a hard freeze, so cover or protect them when a hard freeze is forecast.
What temperature is dangerous for trees?
Tender plants can be hurt near 32°F, and the damage grows as the night gets colder and longer. Hardy trees are fine. Wind and old limbs are the bigger problem.
Got a tree you want looked at before winter? Call Josh at (850) 888-5603.