Question
Hello.  My wife and I planted a couple of trumpet plants in our garden in the backyard.  Full sun (southern exposure), plenty of water and well drained area.  The plants grew very well and started to flower, then we had our first frost of the year.  They let us know almost immediately they are not 'frost friendly'.  my question is, if we let them go will they come back next year or will the cold kill them?  We live in north east Texas (Zone 8 I believe) we don't have extreme winters but it does occasionally drop below freezing.  Will covering them with plastic help them survive?  We've seen these plants grow quite large not far from where we live.  So I don't know what the best course of action is.  Can you help?  Thanks.

Answer
Paul, these are perennial plants that should survive in any climate south of zone 5. Texas definitely falls within that area. Keep in mind that most perennials die back every winter, but come back strong in early spring. Just be sure to mulch the base of the plants with straw or shredded leaves to protect them from any harsh weather. Then in spring, cut them back by one third. They should survive with no problem.

Please write again if I can ever be of assistance.

Regards,

Mike