With the cold temperatures of winter comes the possibility of frost, which can damage the plants in your landscape. While most plants usually leaf out again when the weather warms, some plants don't fare as well.

Frost damages plants when the foliage loses moisture faster than the plants can replace it. This can happen because the soil is dry or because the water or moisture in the ground normally available to the plant is frozen. But most frost damage can be prevented by understanding and following a few basic principles.

There are definite warning signs that can help determine the possibility of a hard frost. If you notice low temperatures (45° or lower at 10 p.m.), a clear sky, little to no breeze, and dry air at bedtime, bring any potted plants that might be at risk into the garage or at least under a porch roof or eaves.

For plants in the ground (and outside potted plants), make sure the soil is moist when frost is expected. Moist soil holds and releases more heat than dry soil, which will help create a more humid environment around the plant when the frost pulls moisture from the foliage of the plant. Never hose down a plant in the morning after a frost. Allow the plants to thaw naturally and gradually, or you may rupture the plant cells in the leaf tissue.

There are products that can help prevent frost damage. Spraying frost-tender plants with an anti-transpirant such as Wilt Pruf or Cloud Cover will help provide 2-6 degrees of extra insulation from the cold by reducing the amount of moisture a plant gives off. Anti-transpirants are non-toxic and dry clear.

If you don't already have mulch around your plants, add a 2-3" layer of mulch or top dressing like Gardner & Bloome Soil Building Compost. This helps the soil retain moisture and stay warmer, as well as giving the roots some insulation from the cold.

We recommend feeding frost tender plants with a 0-10-10 like John & Bob's Soil Optimizer. The phosphorous and potash will help make the plant roots stronger and more frost-hardy.

Another protective measure is to cover tender plants with burlap or plastic. This can help prevent frost damage by providing an extra 2-6 degrees of protection. Make sure to fasten the material you use securely over frames or stakes so that it does not touch the plant; otherwise it will transfer the cold directly to the plant. Remove any covering during the daytime to allow the plants to absorb sunlight.

Wait to prune frost-sensitive plants until after the danger of frost has passed and new growth has started. If your plant is injured, leave the damaged foliage on the plant so it will act as a protective layer to the foliage beneath. Trimming the plant too early may stimulate new growth that can be damaged by further frosts. You may also end up pruning out more foliage than is necessary; some of that dead-looking foliage may still be alive. When you do prune, the idea is to let the frost damage guide the pruning. Prune only the areas that are not showing new growth.

If you have any questions about which plants to protect, just ask one of our garden experts. We'll be happy to help you make sure you're equipped properly to fend off the damaging effects of frost.

By Tamara Galbraith

It's not the heat...it's the humidity. You've heard it a thousand times, right? But for plants brought inside for the winter, the saying is especially true.

Most plants thrive in 80% relative humidity. The average home's winter humidity level is a pretty desert-like 20-60%. So you know plants are suffering. Fortunately, there are some easy ways to raise humidity around your plants.

Humidifiers are wonderful additions to any household, and a benefit to humans as well as plants. There are both cold mist and heating humidifiers, and they work as their name implies: one sends a cool mist into the atmosphere, while the other heats the water and shoots warm vapor into the air...an especially nice treat for both tropical plants and folks suffering with the flu.

One of the most popular methods is to use a pebble tray. Fill a drainage saucer with small pebbles or rocks. Fill the saucer with water to just below the top of the rocks. Put your container on top. Over time, the water will evaporate and increase the humidity around the plant. You can also group plants closely together to build up the humidity in one area.

Two big don'ts: Don't place plants near outside doors where they will get frequent blasts of chilly air, and don't place them near furnace output vents, where they will dry out faster than you can say "Mojave Desert."

Mistletoe, in older times, was believed to have protective properties and was hung to ward off evil spirits. Celts believed that mistletoe, a parasitic plant that grows on trees, had special powers that could heal diseases, make poisons harmless, protect against evil spells and bring fertility to childless women. For many years, Christian places of worship did not allow it inside because of its pagan associations. But nowadays it is mostly used as an excuse to steal a kiss.

The origin of our tradition of kissing under the mistletoe is lost in the mists of antiquity. Some say it probably stemmed from the Druids, who considered it sacred and would declare a truce in an area where it grew.

Others say the custom comes from the old festival of Saturnalia, and still others claim it comes from old Norse mythology and the tale of Baldur's death from a twig of mistletoe. Legend has it that the tears of his mother, Frigga, changed the berries of the mistletoe from red to white.

Whatever the origin of the tradition, most consider it a good deal of light-hearted fun to steal a kiss under the mistletoe. Just be careful whom you kiss--a jealous spouse may be lurking.

Despite its use as a holiday decoration and its association with love, peace, and stolen kisses, mistletoe is actually a parasite. It lives on trees and shrubs, tapping into the plant's nutrients by sending its roots under the bark. Mistletoe can weaken, or even kill, a plant. It is also poisonous (all parts), so keep it out of the reach of children and pets!

If you're being awakened in the middle of the night to the sound of turned over garbage cans accompanied by high-pitched chirping sounds, chances are you've been paid a visit by those little bandits called raccoons.

Raccoons are generally active at night, when they are most likely to raid your garbage area, looking for discarded fruit, vegetables, and anything else that might make a tasty snack. Their contact with humans is normally motivated by two basic things: food and/or shelter. Getting rid of raccoons starts with securing the sources of these temptations, and if that doesn't deter them, there are a few other alternatives.

The key to keeping raccoons away is to make your home a less inviting place to visit. Keep your garbage cans sealed with bungee cords if stored outside, or store them in the garage or storage shed. Make sure all of your foundation and basement vents are in good shape and have no holes in them; otherwise, raccoons might nest under your home. If you have a dog or cat door into the garage make sure not to store food or feed pets in there.

If you have taken care of the basics, and the pesky critters still want to hang out, you might want to consider a few other options. There are number of humane traps, such as Havahart, that will help you trap them live and allow you to transport them to a wooded area away from your home. Be careful, though, and wear thick gloves when handling traps, because raccoons will try to bite if agitated.

Motion-sensing lights and sound devices will also help keep raccoons away. Nocturnal by nature, they don't like bright lights. You can also apply a raccoon repellent, such as Liquid Fence or Predator Urine (Bobcat, Wolf, or Mountain Lion), to garbage cans and around the yard to deter them. Many wildlife specialists use this method because the repellent uses the scent of a predator such as a coyote, wolf, or mountain lion to mark your garden as a predator's territory.

So don't be kept up at night because raccoons are having a party at your house. Take action today and keep those raccoons away!

Important Note: Two illnesses common to raccoons are distemper and rabies. If you see raccoons, keep your pets inside. Raccoons are primarily nocturnal, so if you see one in a populated area during the day, especially if it is acting strangely, be sure to avoid it and report it to a wildlife specialist.