QUESTION FROM READER:
I recently read your post that talked about covering plants for the winter. What do the terms “tender” or “sensitive” plants mean, and what type of plants fall into this category? Can you give specific examples of plants that need to be covered?
GL365 RESPONSE:
Dear Reader,
Generally speaking, plants considered tender or sensitive during winter cannot withstand cold temperatures and wintery conditions. But when identifying what plants are tender and need to be covered in your garden, it is more specific to your area. That’s because this definition varies when comparing one location to another.
USDA Guidelines suggest that plants should be unaffected by the average minimum winter temperature in a region. Although, it is common for people to select plants for their garden that need to stay warmer than the average minimum temperature. In this case, these plants would be considered tender and should be covered and protected. So, success in your garden partially depends on whether you use plants that can endure your regions’ climate year-round.
Typically, perennials are considered tender plants, which is why we mentioned protecting them in our Winter Gardening post. Perennials are plants that should survive year after year. But for this to be possible, conditions must be suitable for them to live.
In certain climates, additional steps are needed to protect these plants. Regions like the southern United States, for example, can experience unexpected temperature changes. Extreme drops in temperature can cause plant damage from the cold and frost that may develop.
In general, though, plants considered tender that should be covered and protected include:
- newly planted trees or shrubs, especially citrus and other fruit trees
- fruit and vegetable plants
- bulbs, like tulips, daffodils, and hyacinth
- tropical plants like hibiscus, elephant ears, and banana plants
- annual plants, such as begonias, petunias, and snapdragons
To learn more, check out our post, Tender versus Hardy Plants. It will explain further which plants in your area should be protected during winter. Also, show us what winter looks like where you are. Send us a message at contact@gardeninglife365.com or tag us on Instagram @gardeninglife365, so we can display winter around the world!
— Journée ❤️