We definitely have our limits when it comes to tangling with Nature.

There was very little that could have been done to prepare for last weekend’s cold spell except move container plants into a protected area and cover small stuff, but it’s a little hard to cover a tree. After the event there’s even less that can be done other than some pruning out damaged tissue or some plant replacement. Plant evaluation may take a while so be patient and it could be that some damage won’t show up until the heat of summer stresses a plant.

Many plants look amazingly good but temperature-sensitive plants have symptoms that range from leaf burn to possibly death. Canna, yellow bells, crape myrtle, Vitex, Lantana and other heat-loving plants are the ones that are showing some damage. Cold-hardiness, exposure, rate of growth, established verses newly planted all play a role.

In the vegetable garden tomato plants may need replacing. Rather than waiting and hoping damaged plants will grow out of it, you may want to cut your losses early and replant now. If you had peppers out, they are most likely need to be replaced.

Many pecan trees have already put out their male flowers, the fuzzy catkins, so that may have a bearing on the number and quality ofpecans we get this year. We are in a wait and see situation on these, too.

John Begnaud, CEA-horticulturist for Tom Green County, reports Belding Farms outside of Fort Stockton typically collects a mason jar of ripe pecan pollen to store in the freezer just in the case of a late freeze that kills the male flowers. In the event of a late freeze, they can take the stored pollen and disperse it into the trees when the female flowers are ready. Home gardeners could do the same thing. It seems pecan pollen has a long viability when stored in the freezer so you don’t have to collect very often.

While you are you are wondering what to do, bear in mind,there’s very little you can do. Plants will either recover or not.

Don’t give them extra water or fertilize. You may need to prune out dead or damaged tissue and replace some plants.

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Make the best of this unseasonable cold spell by joining the Permian Basin Master Gardeners for their annual plant sale 9 a.m. to 3 p.m . Saturday at the Midland Horseshoe.

Master Gardeners will have native and adapted plants, flowering perennials, ornamental grasses, Salvias, vines, native trees and shrubs, herbs and EarthKind Roses.

A few plants to consider:

Red mountain sage, Salvia darcyii, is a fabulous perennial salvia that blooms with big red flowers on long flower stalks. Theplant grows 2 to 3 feet tall and spreads by underground stem to makea big showy mound of bright red color. Plants bloom summer to fall and they have good drought-resistence.

Apache plume, Fallugia paradoxa, is a medium to large size shrub that has lacy, fine-textured, semi-evergreen leaves. It blooms inspring with 2-inch wide, white, wild rose-like flowers that turn into pink plumes that shine in the light. This plant is tough as a boot, very interesting and has outstanding cold- and drought-tolerance.

Coral berry, Symphoricarpos orbiculatus, is a fabulous understory shrub that is great in shade or sun, even in dry sites and difficult areas. This shrub has very slender arching branches that will root where it touches the soil. It leafs out with small oval chartreuse spring leaves that contrast nicely with the pink magenta- colored berries that persist from the previous year’s crop. These fall off soon after and then small white to pink flowers form at the nodes, and the new berry crop begins. In late summer or fall the berries color up and provide color all winter and into the spring.

Also at the plant sale, there will be displays, books, handouts and many resources available for getting just the right fit for your home landscape. On hand will be specialists is landscape water conservation, rainwater harvesting and composting.

source : www.mywesttexas.com