Protecting Plants from Cold: Selection and Emergency Covers

Winter cold tests every plant's hardiness. While some gardeners dig up tender plants like bananas each fall, others seek cold-hardy varieties. Nurseries such as Plant Delights offer hardy bananas and oleanders reported to survive -9°F. You can also experiment with natural selection: plant sprigs from a long-established, cold-tolerant St. Augustine grass lawn into your own yard—the grass may have already adapted to local winters.

When to Protect

Most woody plants handle steady cold well. Damage occurs when warm spells break dormancy, followed by a sudden freeze. If a January thaw is followed by an Arctic blast, protect marginal plants.

Effective Covering

Wrapping shrubs in sheets or quilts does little—the plant needs heat trapped from the ground. Use an impermeable cover (black plastic is best; clear plastic creates a greenhouse effect on sunny days and must be removed). Anchor the edges firmly with soil, bricks, or firewood to seal in earth's warmth. Black plastic reflects sunlight, keeping temperatures stable for days.

This winter may be one for the record books—thank goodness we have feet, not roots!