This article was written by Marsha Overton, Coles County Master Gardener.

Well, we have 54 days till the first day of spring. I am very happy to see January almost gone. Usually it is the month I want to get over with very quickly–but this one has gone by very nicely. I think I reported last month there is a "saying" the first 3 days of the New Year will determine the first 3 months of the year. January 1 we had snow showers, very cold and windy. January 2 the temp was 1 above zero with flurries–then January 3 was a little warmer, cloudy and windy. Don't you think this kind of sounds like the first 3 months of the year? Anyway we will just have to wait and see.

This time of the year, the work we do with plants, is with our houseplants. I have a philodendron plant that I received when my Dad passed away in 1992–I have shared starts from it to those who wanted them–and I am proud to say that it is still thriving. I know you are probably thinking anyone can grow these plants. Well–there are some who cannot. I also have a Mother-in-law's tongue I got from a favorite aunt–I have had it even longer that than the philodendron–I've shared lots of starts from it.

One of the reasons for these two plants lasting as long as they have, is the fact they get the least amount of attention! I am trying to ignore my Norfolk Pine but it still does not look to well.

I have talked to a couple of you pertaining to roses. As I have stated before, I am through with roses. I love the ramblers that I inherited when we moved to this house, and so far they have done well. When it come to the hybrids–I just cannot grow them! Anyway I came across some suggestions for preventing rose problems that I want to share with those of you who have roses. 1. Provide good air circulation. Avoid crowding your roses. They can be planted though with small shrubs, perennials, annuals, bulbs and even ground covers. 2. Water the ground, not the foliage. This will help to control black spot and other fungal diseases. Mulch the plant so soil does not splash onto the foliage. 3. Remove weeds. Insects often live and lay eggs in weeds, so it is important to keep the garden free of weeds. 4. Treat infestations. Aphids and some other insects can be sprayed with water to dislodge them. 5. Try a natural approach. Natural predators can control insects very easily instead of using insecticides. Options include ladybugs, assassin bugs, green lacewings, praying mantis, parasitic wasps, just to name a few. 6. Lastly, try growing disease-resistant roses. Some of the newest roses are the most disease resistant. For instance, shrub roses in general are less prone to diseases. Hopefully these tips will help you with your plants this spring.

I came across an article that I think you would be interested in. It pertains to the difference between 'Winter Sunscald and Frost or Freeze Cracks'. Often winter sunscald is confused with frost or freeze cracks.

Sunscald occurs when the winter sun warms tree bark during the day followed by rapid cooling after sunset. This rapid change in temperature destroys tissues and the inner bark area called the cambium. These areas are more common on the south or southwest sides of trunks and branches. Thin-barked trees and newly-planted trees seem to be more susceptible. Characteristically, the dead bark falls away in the spring exposing the underlying heartwood. Wrapping trunks of susceptible trees in the winter with "tree wrap" is the most effective way to minimize this type of winter injury. You should remove the wrap in spring.

Frost or freeze cracks are splits in the bark and wood that result from rapid drops in temperatures. These cracks are often associated with internal defects or decays. Defective wood does not contract as readily as the outer layers of healthy wood do when winter temperatures plunge rapidly. The strain between the outer contracting layers of wood and the inner defect causes the outer layer to crack. Avoid wounding trees when they are young. Mulch around the base to eliminate the need to mow or 'weed–whack' close to the trunk.

Critter damage is another serious problem in our landscapes. By eliminating favored nesting sites, and installing exclusion devices, we can reduce their damage. Rodents seek shelter in deeply mulched areas where they can burrow. They also prefer the base of trees or along buildings where grass and weeds have been allowed to grow. Your best bet is to remove long grass and weeds that have grown up around the base of trees and areas next to your house.

Rabbits eat bark off the base of many young trees, especially fruit and flowering trees. This girdles the tree and prevents the flow of water and nutrients within the tree. Tree trunks larger than 4 inches in diameter usually are not affected. The trunks of smaller trees can be protected with hardware cloth, polypropylene tubes, or similar materials that extend at least to the lower branches of young trees. If there is any accumulation of snow, rabbits sit on the surface and are in closer range to unprotected trees. In winters past, whole tree bases were stripped of bark due to deep snow. As it melted down, rabbits had easy access to this tasty treat. We need to be pro-active in the fall to minimize winter damage to our landscape.