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Protect houseplants from the winter weather

It is important to protect houseplants from cold temperatures when purchasing them in the winter. Most garden centers will wrap plants to protect them from cold temperatures but if they don't, be sure to ask them to wrap the plants for you.

Wrapping the plants also protects them from breaking. Be sure the plants are placed in a stable location on the way home. When transporting plants, the vehicle should be warm, especially if outdoor temperatures are below freezing.

Plants should never be transported in a cold trunk or allowed to sit in a cold car for any length of time. When you get home, it is best to set the plant on a stable surface and carefully tear or cut the wrapper from the bottom up to unwrap the plant. Do not attempt to pull the wrapper off the plant, as you risk breaking stems, flowers, and leaves.

Plants should stay in their wrappings for no more than 24 hours. Open the top to allow the plants to get air if you cannot remove the entire wrapping right away.

• This January has been unusually warm. Keep watering any evergreens that are planted in outdoor containers when temperatures are warm and conditions are dry.

Though there has been some rain during the warm days, it probably has not been enough to support evergreen growth in containers. Evergreens continue to lose water through their leaves during winter and can suffer damage to foliage or even die if allowed to dry out in the container. Watering during winter should improve the performance of your evergreens growing in containers.

• Keep any logs you saved for burning in the fireplace outside until you are ready to burn them, as insects can come in with the firewood. Never treat firewood with insecticides.

• Tim Johnson is director of horticulture at Chicago Botanic Garden, chicagobotanic.org.

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