Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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Monday - February 07, 2011
From: San Antonio, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Seasonal Tasks, Vines
Title: Should grape vines be covered in winter from San Antonio
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Do I need to cover grape vines in winter?ANSWER:
In Central Texas, grape vines go all over everywhere; you would need one heck of a freeze cover to do that. As you drive on the highways in Central Texas, notice all the grapevines running over the fences and trees. In the winter, you don't see them. Most vines are deciduous anyway, and resprout (vigorously!) when the weather begins to warm.
The most common grapevines in Central Texas are Vitis mustangensis (Mustang grape) and, as you can see from this USDA Plant Profile map, grow natively around Bexar County. These vines are deep-rooted, counting on the warmth of the earth to keep them going until Spring.
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