Winter Vortex means you wear Gore-Tex

Late January’s extreme weather was the North Pole making a visit to your garden (minus the sleigh and reindeer). You won’t know what it means for your garden until spring. If you have plants that aren’t listed as hardy for your zone, you may have damage or even lose some. The most widespread problem will probably be damage to spring flower buds that weren’t ready for the extreme chill. In the future you can consider protecting the buds by wrapping the plant in row cover and then adding a waterproof cover—like a tarp tied over. Of course, if we have an unusually warm winter, make certain you unwrap it so the buds aren’t scorched.