Your article written by Master Gardener Kay Martin of Lee County caught my attention.
I thought of a January morning in Ohio as I looked out my window at a row of mature pine tree branches coated with ice fastened to the ground. A beautiful sparkling wonderland surrounded the countryside. It took three days to remove trees that were uprooted by the weight of the ice; plus a week without electricity in temperatures that had dropped suddenly following a heavy rain. However, the eastern white pine native to Ohio recovered quickly under the warmth if the sun and returned to their stately form.
Winter landscapes are much different here in southern Mississippi but outdoor plants still need some attention when temps drop as low as 32 degrees. To avoid the need to cover tender plants I would suggest planting native varieties.
A list of native plants can be found at our local MSU Extension office in Poplarville or at Crosby Arboretum in Picayune. There are 29 active trained Master Gardeners in Pearl River County.
If you have a love of plants, large or small as I do, there is nothing more satisfying than to join a group of like-minded people.
A new class to become a Master Gardener starts in February. You won’t be disappointed. Call the Pearl River County Extension office at 601-403-2280 for information.

Tamara Mokray, Master Gardener
Picayune