Still, some other plants can grow in mild winters. Root vegetables like garlic, carrots, and radishes grow well in cold temperatures. So do leafy greens like collards, kale, and cabbage. However, even most cold crops grow best if they're protected from frost and freezing temperatures.
Daffodils, crocuses and tulips
Hardy all the way to zone 3, they actually do better with cold winters. These plants need cold weather to bloom well in the spring, thanks to a chemical reaction that takes place when the soil temperature is below 55 degrees, according to the Amsterdam Tulip Museum.
Surprisingly, many types of flowering annuals, perennials, and shrubs are at their best during the coldest time of the year, bringing color and interest to the garden when you need it most. Some flowers, such as snowdrops, will even poke their heads through a blanket of snow.
While some plants are well adapted to the cold, a bad season can cause damage to even the hardier trees, shrubs, and perennials. Plants are vulnerable to a range of different damage throughout the winter season. Simply freezing, for those plants that are not cold tolerant, usually means death for the plant.
The snowdrop flower.
As a plant that actually despises warm winters, the snowdrop flower performs its best in frigid temperatures. This flower can withstand temperatures down to -30 F. while still displaying its bright green stems and delicate, white flowers.
Because the enzymes driving biochemical reactions don't function well in winter, dipping temperatures and lack of sunlight slows plants' metabolism. Photosynthesis and respiration decelerate, and growth halts.
Japanese Yew. Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata) is a good choice for an outdoor winter plant because it's an evergreen that keeps its leaves on its branches all winter long. It's drought-tolerant and thrives in both full and partial sun. Hardy to Zone 4, Japanese yews can survive harsh winters.
The general rule of thumb is that most plants freeze when temperatures remain at 28°F for five hours. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. Seedlings, with their tender new leaves, often give up the ghost when temperatures dip to 32-33°F. Tropical plants have differing low-temperature thresholds.
Carrots, turnips, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage, chard, and head lettuce can be harvested from under a blanket of snow. Scallions and fall leeks to the size of scallions can be harvested from under snow. Onions can remain in the garden under snow if a protective layer of mulch lies in between.
Snowdrops, also called galanthus, look delicate but are quite cold-hardy. Their petite drooping green and white flowers are a breath of fresh air in late winter and early spring. Plant them in the fall for winter and spring flowers.
If you have light freezes for short periods of time, plants can usually recover. After hard, long freezes, there's no guarantee. After the freeze, you should be patient. Do not go straight for the pruners and cut everything back.
Plants to move inside: Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and others that will not survive frost. Plants to cover: Potatoes, radishes, spinach, leaf lettuce, beets, mustard. Plants that do not need to be covered: Onions, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, turnips, kale.
Choose The Right Containers
Terra-cotta and ceramic pots absorb moisture, which expands as it freezes and cracks the container. Metal, concrete and wood containers typically handle freezes well, as do fiberglass and resin pots. Some plastic pots also survive winter fine, but may become brittle over time.
Annual Plants
Crabgrass, petunias, and snapdragons are types of annual that will not survive cold temperatures and will need to be cared for to survive winter.
Regardless of which hardiness zone you live in, certain plants do tend to do better in cold weather than others. Flowers such as violas and crocuses are good options. So are snowdrops, hellebores, and heather. Even some types of roses can grow and bloom in winter.
First, as the days shorten and the cold sets in, many plants become “hardened”. Water is pumped out of plant cells into the roots and any remaining sap, which is a sugary solution, often acts as antifreeze. Broadleaf trees, like maples and oaks, shed their thin, flat leaves each fall to reduce water loss.
Winter is coming. Trees, shrubs and other plants are slipping into hibernation, allowing them to survive the cold weather. They have gone dormant as they wait to be renewed in the spring.
At temperatures below 15° C, photosynthesis and plant metabolism slow, stopping growth as it waits for better conditions. As soon as the temperature rises, the plant resumes full functioning.
The Winter Garden and South Central Region of Texas spans from Stephenville and San Angelo (central) to Uvalde (south). The climate in these areas is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.
Pansies, violas, dianthus, ornamental cabbage and kale, alyssum, and snapdragons are some of the ornamental annuals that can withstand light freezes, and will grow through the winter.